


A Forged Wedding

by mistyhollowdrummer



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-02
Updated: 2015-04-18
Packaged: 2018-01-21 16:37:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 30
Words: 186,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1557026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistyhollowdrummer/pseuds/mistyhollowdrummer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game: "I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?" "I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?" (Rated M for later chapters, mentions of other pairings, more warnings inside)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Proposal

**Author's Note:**

> Welp! Hi AO3! I'm Misty, and I just got my account here. ^^ I decided, since it was suggested, that I should get an account here and upload my fanfic... So I did. *nods approvingly* I have no idea how to work this website... ANYWAY! This story was based of the Iphone game I got, but, I am broke, so I never did get to finish the game. XD A few quick warnings I guess. This has mentions of past couples, break ups, child abuse, rape, drug abuse, character death, mentions of suicide...  
> This all got a lot more real, didn't it? XD I promise, there is a lot of humor!

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:**   
**"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"**   
**"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse**   
**Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)**   
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)**

* * *

**Chapter 1:**   
**The Proposal**

* * *

If I were to list off the most embarrassing, most humiliating, most awkward, and by far, the  _stupidest_  moments I've ever been through in my life, this whole month would be the first and most important thing on my list. I've never been through anything like this in my life, and I'm not sure if I can ask anyone for help, because I am positive that no one has ever been through a situation like this. I can't even go to my best friend for help, because... Well, I can't even tell people the real story behind my situation.

I bet you're wondering what I'm talking about, huh? Well, I wish I did too. I guess I can start from the beginning though. It may help everyone if I try to straighten this out, including myself.

You see, I work at this big law firm centered in the most crowded and overdrawn city in this state. That's right, New York City. It sucks all hell for parking, but it pays well, and it's getting me and my sister through college. I don't do any of the serious business the rats- Er… I mean  _lawyers_  do, I'm an assistant to one though, and boy, he is the definition of a lawyer.

His name is Rivaille. A lot of the people in our office call him Levi, and on occasion I do too, but only when I'm not paying too much attention and I forget who it is I'm talking to. I really try not to, because he gives me this look, a look that says, "If you call me that again, I'm going to throttle you." I dared to call him short one time while talking to Petra and Hanji during break. I didn't know he walked into the room.

Suffice it to say, I couldn't walk straight for a week.

It's true, he is short, but he's utterly terrifying. He has these eyes on him that, even if he's trying, couldn't look happy. He couldn't make them softer, couldn't make them widen even a little, whether he's shocked or not, and at some times, I honestly thought he couldn't blink. If he did, he did it while I wasn't looking or he blinked too fast. I can't really be too sure.

He also can make you feel about three feet tall, even if you're the taller one. I'm taller by five or six inches, and every day I am reduced to the fetal position at my desk and hoping he'll walk away. I don't know how he does it. It's possible that it's because he really will kick anyone's ass if they mess up in any way or do anything to insult him. His motto is that pain is the best form of discipline. I can tell you right now that he's tried proving that to me about twenty-two times so far. I lost count after that.

I know what you're thinking. Why am I working for a man like this, and then why am I putting up with it? Why am I taking this mental  _and physical_  abuse and simply letting him beat me on an almost daily basis?

Like I said before, both my sister and I are in college, so this job pays my way through it. We both pay rent and have to buy our own food too, because we both live on our own. We've been on our own since we were about sixteen when our parents passed away. She is adopted into my family, so she's lost two sets of parents. The mental anguish is nothing much anymore, but having to take care of ourselves is a constant reminder of it.

So there you have it. I stay by this sadistic lawyer's side so I can get a better life. Ironic, considering he may just end it at any minute.

It's not that I hate him. On the contrary, I actually look up to Levi. I admire him, because he is a hard worker. There isn't a time I've seen him where he isn't working on something important. Strangely enough, he makes me want to work harder just by watching him do it. I feel like I can accomplish something, anything really, because if he can do it, then so can I. So it's not all too bad working for him, however, I can say this for sure; after that day a month ago, I really,  _really_  wonder why I keep this job myself.

I don't want to say something cheesy like, "It started on a sunny Saturday morning," but I guess setting the tone would be good. On the contrary to the previous statement, it was a dark and raining Monday afternoon. Power had come and gone a couple of times in our office, and people were on edge, but only because they wanted to go home. I was no exception. After the third time the power flickered (and inevitably making me lose the document I was working on) I was about ready to get up, grab my bag, and leave myself.

I cursed at my computer, threw my hands up into the air, and grunted with defeat. I had been working on that document for Levi for two hours now. There was an auto save function, but only if I ever saved. Two hours of work down the drain, two hours to which he'll force me to make up.

"God damn it," I growled and pulled my legs up into my chair.

"Did you lose your work too?" I lifted my head up from my knees and saw Petra, Erwin's assistant (Levi's boss), looking over the divider leading to her personal office. Her nose barely peeked over the side of the divider, her hair barely curling on the edge and her big, brown eyes staring at me in the dark. I found it slightly cute, because the divider wasn't tall, in fact, it was a few inches shorter than me, but Petra was about five foot four, just a bit taller than Levi.

"Yeah, and it fucking sucks." I whined and rolled my neck back to crack it. Petra lingered for a moment at the divider before leaving it in favor of standing with me. She held up a small package of something, but in the dark I couldn't see anything.

"Here, have some." She offered and nudged it forward.

"I can't see it. What is it?" I asked and pulled the mysterious item from her.

"It's just chocolate. I thought you could use a little pick me up." She said with a smile. I smiled back at her, a sigh of relief leaving my lips.

"Have I ever told you that you're my favorite person, Petra?" I asked. She giggled into her hand and went back to her office, but she peered over the divider once more.

"Yes, but you could stand to say it a little more." She said. I chuckled as I went about eating the chocolate she'd given me. It wasn't a special chocolate or overly expensive, but man, what a stress reliever. This little piece of chocolate and heaven was the perfect pick me up.

"Well, you're my favorite person. Thank you for this, I really needed it." I said while waving it at her. The lights in the building flickered, but they didn't turn back on. I heard her groan on the other side in her office, but she waved her hand over the side of the wall for me in appreciation.

"Can't we just go home already?" I could hear the complaint come from the next office over. I rolled out on my fun wheelie chair a bit to see Aurou with his head on his desk and his butt just barely in his chair. He looked as if he was about ready to fall asleep, and I don't blame him. We all could use it.

This new case we were working on was driving us nuts. Divorce cases are the worst kind, leaving us tired and grumpy with our own lives. People bring that crap to us and we suffer for it. We ended up with one divorce here already because of a previous one brought in, and that in turn brought on a whole bunch of awkwardness to the table, because the people who got divorced were Petra and Levi.

In all honesty, they never seemed to lovey dovey to begin with. I thought, at first, that it was because they were trying to keep professional at work. I heard later from Hanji that they had a few problems at home. When a case for a divorce came in, they ended their relationship as well. It came as a bit of a shock, and it was also saddening, but they were very adult about it. They broke up quietly, no arguing and no fighting, and it's been that way since. They talk to each other like longtime friends now, and surprisingly enough, they look a bit happier being friends than being married. Well, Petra did. It's hard to make Levi look happy.

"Hang in there, we're almost done." I said to Aurou. He groaned into his mouse pad and pulled his phone out. The brightness of his screen nearly blinded me in the dark, so I ended up back in my office. When I felt the chocolate break in my hand, I went back and held it out for him. "Want some chocolate?" I asked.

"Psh, no. I don't want any of your nasty chocolate." He waved at me with the bright light of his phone, making me wince and retract my hand.

"Alright, but Petra gave it to me." I said with a small sigh.

"W-Wait!" He called out. I looked at him as he held out his hand. "Never mind, I'll have some. Why would I deny a kind gesture from a good friend?" He asked with a nervous laugh. I rolled my eyes and placed some chocolate in his hand.

It figured. It wasn't much of a secret in the office that Aurou cared for Petra. The only people who didn't seem to notice the affection was them themselves, but they were always oblivious to it. Aurou always acted like Levi, a bit of a childish thing to do, but he didn't seem to care. Petra, however, seemed to find it disconcerting. He didn't seem to notice that either.

I had a feeling that she thought he was making fun of her and their fallen relationship, which he wasn't, but that's what she perceived, and he was too blind and stupid to look at it in that way and apologize. I'm sure he doesn't mean it, but he doesn't see it either.

"Chocolate from Petra," He quietly cheered in his office next to me. I rolled my eyes again, and then snickered when I heard him yelp in pain. No doubt he'd bitten his tongue again. "Ouch!" He cried.

"Good, maybe he'll bleed to death." I heard Petra grumble from her office. I decided to ignore them, because if I got into the middle of that, it'd be the end of me. They'd kill me before Levi could even get his chance. I'd rather live to see a sunny sky tomorrow, thank you very much.

The lights flickered again. I groaned in agitation and leaned back in my chair with my forearm over my eyes, hoping that either the power would eventually come on or we could just go home, because this was ridiculous. There's no point at being at work when there's absolutely nothing to do. Sure, there's stuff to do, but we can't do anything in the dark, and our work is mainly on computers, which leaves us only with paperwork that needs to be filed. I can't do that in the dark and neither can anyone else here. We aren't robots; we can't do everything we're told no matter the atmosphere.

I sighed as I lifted my arm away from my face. There was a bright light in my face all of a sudden, and behind that bright light was a horrifyingly white face with bright, neon-pink paint, and big, black eyes staring down at me. I screamed bloody murder and fell out of my chair, but once recovering from the fall, I could hear the all too familiar laughter of Erwin's second assistant behind the mask she'd been wearing.

"That's not funny, Hanji!" I barked at her. Said women pulled the mask off of her face and set it down on my desk, revealing her laughing face that was near tears from the humor of my fright.

"I-I'm sorry, Eren! It was just too easy!" She cried through her laughter. She was practically leaning over my desk for support, her hand at her stomach as the stitches began crushing her ribs. Good, maybe that'll teach her not to do that again.

I growled as I got up from the floor and pushed her off of my chair. She then ended up on the floor to finish the rest of her laughter while I patted myself off and sat back down.

"I'm glad to see you find this funny." I grumbled. She finished her laughter off with some small giggles that she could barely hide, but it was enough for her to get herself standing up again and for the tears to stop flowing from her glassy, brown eyes.

"I'm sorry, Eren, I really am. I actually came over here to tell you something, but I saw the opportunity and took it." She flashed a big grin at me, a few more contorted giggles leaving her as she pulled her glasses off to rub her wet cheeks.

"What was it you wanted to tell me?" I asked, all too  _not_ amused. Hanji finished her giggling and put her glasses back on so she could see again.

"I was just talking with Levi. He wants to see you in his office now." She said rather somber like. I dropped my head back against my chair and groaned.

"I knew this job wouldn't last long." I griped and stood up.

"I'm sure that's not it, Eren. He probably wants to ask you about the documents he sent you." Petra said over the divider.

"Those are the ones I just lost!" I whined and pointed to the black screen of my dead computer.

"Oh..." She mumbled.

"You're done for," Aurou said from his office. I childishly stuck my tongue out at him, though he didn't see the gesture. I stood up from my chair and looked over myself, making sure my appearance was okay before I turned to the others.

"Any words of advice?" I asked hopelessly.

"Don't bend over." Aurou said again. I scoffed in his direction and turned back to the two girls staring at me.

"Well...?" I prompted.

"We loved you, Eren." Petra said somberly.

"We'll miss having you around." Hanji bowed her head and removed her glasses, as if praying for the dead.

Oh whoopee.

"Thanks guys, I really appreciate it." I waved a flaccid hand at them and dragged my feet to Levi's office.

What could he possibly want? Was it really about those documents? I can't help that the power cut out all of my hard work; although, I could have bothered to save them at some point. He wouldn't fire me over something small like that... Right?

... I'm screwed.

I reached Rivaille's door and gave an audible sigh. I reached a hand up to knock, but hesitated for a moment. I looked down at myself one more time, and then ran my fingers through my hair. Rivaille had a terrible penchant for cleanliness, and not just around the office. Everyone always had to look their best, and by best, he wanted clean. I was so tired last night that I didn't take a shower; I hope that's not what this is about.

I nodded once I felt that I was as  _presentable_  as presentable could be. I knocked on the door and waited. There was a few seconds of a pause before someone called for me to come in. I did as told, stepping into the clean and perfect office before shutting the door behind me.

"You wanted to see me, Rivaille?" I asked. Levi was leaning against the edge of his desk, looking outside the wall-length windows to watch the rain fall. The curtains had been drawn back, letting light into the room. It wasn't much, but it was enough so I could see his dark silhouette against his desk.

"Yeah, I did," He muttered in the deep voice of his. He looked away from the window and back at me, his gray eyes seeming to shine in the darkness and making me shiver with fear. "Come here, Jaeger." He said and motioned for me towards him with his hand. I did as told and walked up to him with my hands nervously clenching by my sides.

"Sir, if this is about the documents with the Thompson family, I lost them when the power went out! I was only a few pages to being done, I swear!" I suddenly blurted out. I was nervous; I couldn't help it. I know this case was causing grief with everyone, so I knew that if I messed up, I'd only cause more stress for everybody.

"That's not what this is about... Although I'll have to make sure to deduct an hour of pay from your paycheck for that." Levi said nonchalantly. My shoulders slumped in defeat from that; I knew something like this would happen. He's a complete sadist. "I need to ask a favor from you."

"What can I help you with?" I asked dejectedly. Levi pushed himself off of his desk and slowly walked over to the windows, his arms crossing over his chest like he was deep in thought and his quiet footsteps against the carpet being the only sound in the room I could hear. He remained quiet for a moment, his eyes watching the rain fall outside like a hurricane. His foot tapped at the floor for a moment, a quirk I noticed a long time ago that he does when he's particularly irritated with something. Just my luck.

"My great grandparents are coming from France to visit me." Levi spoke up. I stepped closer to him, not wanting to be rude from mishearing him.

"Okay," I mumbled, a little drawled out to show my confusion. "Your  _great_ grandparents?" I asked.

"Yes, my grandmother is ninety-eight years old and my grandfather just turned one hundred and one a week ago." Levi said. He really didn't sound all too enthusiastic about the ordeal, I'm not sure why though. I'd be rather ecstatic to hear that my  _great_ grandparents, who had lived a century, would be coming to visit me... That would be if I had any.

"That's impressive," I said as enthusiastically as I could.

"Yes, it is," Levi uttered.

"It must be something to be so old, but still be traveling." I continued.

"I've never had the time to talk to them about stuff like that. My grandmother just got into a wheelchair, but my grandfather is still walking. They both wanted to see me for his birthday." He explained.

"That's a great idea. I mean, you only turn one hundred and one once, and who knows how long he'll have left?" I asked. Levi glared at me from the corner of his eyes, staring me down to three feet again from the comment. I hadn't meant to insult anyone; I was just making a point. I bowed my head down apologetically, mumbling a short apology for the comment.

"It's alright. Sometimes I question the same thing, that's why I said it was okay for them to come by." He said, turning his gaze back to the chaos outside. I relaxed when freed from his gaze, my shoulders slumping again. "I think it's about time for a visit. I haven't seen them for over ten years."

"So... Am I going to pick them up from the airport or something?" I asked while tilting my head.

"No, that's not it." He tapped his foot on the floor again.

"What's the favor then?" I asked.

"You see, a few weeks ago, while I was on the phone with my grandmother, she was asking me about how my life was going. She asked me about how my job was, how my friends were doing, all of that stuff." He started. "She asked me if I had anyone special in my life since Petra and I got a divorce, and I was stupid enough to tell her that I did." He continued.

"I didn't know you were seeing someone." I mumbled.

"I'm not; I was just saying that to make her happy. That was before we planned for them to come see me. I had told her I had gotten married again, eloped really, and she was ecstatic to hear it." He said. "But now they're coming down to see me, and they expect to meet the person who scooped me off of my feet."

"Oh, that really is a problem." I muttered. "I don't understand though, what is it you need my help with?" I asked. Levi tapped his foot once more before turning his whole body in my direction. He looked up at me with a rather confused expression, like he didn't know the answer himself, but he made it clear with his next words.

"I need you to marry me, Eren."


	2. Time to Think for Marriage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ehhh~ Hoping this works. I'm still not used to uploading things here. XD Anyway! Fun facts that you should know before we continue. First off, I only upload on weekends. I have school, and so do others. While I can't stop you from reading this fanfic while you're at school, putting the updates on the weekends ensures that you won't blatantly whip your phone out and read it in class. XD School is an important thing to me, so I would really appreciate it if you didn't do that while you're in school. ^^' Hopefully you can understand and respect my decisions. Second! I have this fanfiction on FF.net too (and it's further ahead on that website), so I thought I should bring this up. While this is tagged as a Riren fanfic, there was a moment where I mentioned Levi as a bottom player. People, I have not finished the fanfic yet. Will I make him the bottom player? I have no idea! Maybe I will, maybe I won't. So, if you're uncomfortable with a Bottom Levi or Top Levi, I suggest you don't read. Thank you for understanding! :D  
> Great to see so many people commenting from FF.net too! Great to hear from you again! Please continue to support me and the story, and thank you from the bottom of my heart! Alright, I'm done rambling. Enjoy the chapter! :D

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter 2:** **  
** **Time to Think for Marriage**

* * *

"Uh..." I uttered, my eyes wide and staring down into Levi's with amazement. "I... I don't think I heard you right. I swear I just heard you ask me to marry you." I started laughing nervously, rubbing the back of my neck and looking away to the rain pouring outside the window.

"I did." Levi replied. I laughed again, looking his way to see his face, but his facade hadn't changed since I walked in. My hand fell from my neck and back to my side, where it stayed as Levi stared me down again.

"I.. Don't think I heard you right." I repeated in a quieter tone. "What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"

"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?" He asked while tilting his head. I tried laughing again, but that face...

He was serious.

"Y-You're asking me... To-"

"I need you to be married to me while my grandparents are in America." He stated. I swallowed a thick lump of something in my throat that was constricting my breathing. "It's just for a few weeks."

"N-No, I can't! Levi, this... This is crazy!" I blurted out.

"If you stopped panicking for a minute and think about it, you'd see that it's not as crazy as you're making it out to be." Levi spoke calmly, like what he was telling me wasn't the craziest thing anyone had ever heard.

"Why can't you ask someone like Petra to do this?" I asked, stepping back to pace across his clean, carpeted floor.

"How ironic would that be? My new wife is the one I got a divorce with." Levi muttered.

"Hanji? What about Hanji?" I asked.

"And give my grandparents a heart attack? I'd rather not." He immediately shot down my idea.

"W-What about Erwin? He's a good man!" I pointed out.

"He's my boss." Levi stated bluntly. The statement got me to stop dead in my tracks. I looked him dead in the eye, my mouth falling open to his words.

 _"Y-You're my boss!"_  I snapped at him.

"Yeah, what's your point?" He asked. I dropped my head and groaned.

This was all too much, too much too soon. He wants to marry me...  _Me?_  No, that's not right. He's my boss and I'm his assistant; that's how our relationship is supposed to work, nothing more, nothing less.

"Eren, I need your help." Levi said, trying to catch my eye. I turned away from him and shook my head. I raised my hands and shook them, trying to put space between us, space that he kept closing off.

"No, no, no, I-I can't. No way!" I backed up into his office couch and jumped over the rim to get distance between us.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"I can't stay here. I-I need to go home." I pushed through his office door and bolted down the corridor to my office. I didn't hear him call after me or chase me, so that was a bit of a relief. I didn't even bother looking back to see if he was even watching me. I just kept running and running, nearly missing my own office in the progress.

My eyes burned, but I didn't know why. It just hurt to keep my eyes open. My chest was aching with pressure that my lungs couldn't handle. My heart was beating so fast and hard within my chest and it felt like it was about to snap my ribs in half. I couldn't handle this, I couldn't.

"Eren, what happened?" I lifted my head when hearing Petra's voice. She was looking at me from her phone, her face showing pure concern for me. I looked away, suddenly feeling an overwhelming amount of guilt hit me like waves of an ocean floor.

This was Petra, Levi's ex-wife. Levi just asked me to marry him, and here is sweet and lovely Petra worrying over me. No, no, no, I can't handle that. Please don't look at me like that.

"N-Nothing, I uh... I just got a call from my sister. She got into a car accident and had to go to the hospital." I improvised.

Oh forgive me for using you, Mikasa.

"Oh no, that's terrible." Petra murmured with her hand up at her lips.

"She's okay, b-but I'm leaving to go check on her." I said quietly while grabbing my bag from my office.

"Is Levi okay with that?" She asked. I didn't answer. I didn't know and I didn't care. All I cared about was getting the hell out of here and going home. I needed to think and I needed to relax, and that is what I planned to do.

I left her behind with no answers. She called for me, but I didn't answer. I ignored her kindness and left, running out into the parking lot and getting into my car before even the building security could stop me. I locked the doors and rolled up my windows to prevent the rain from getting into my car. I then clipped my seatbelt in place and drove out of the parking lot into the nearly blinding rain.

"Shit," I cursed and hit my stealing wheel. "What the hell...?" I quietly questioned myself.

None of this made sense to me. A sudden marriage proposal from my boss... This is like something from a movie! Is that what my life is supposed to be like now? Is this somehow a funny trick from God? This isn't funny!

I tried calming down, I did, but I simply couldn't. I knew I had to, but it was so hard.

I nearly hit the car in front of me at a red light. I came to a screeching halt, and so did my thoughts. My eyes widened in surprise, but not from the near car accident I almost caused. Well, that too. I was surprised at myself for letting this get the best of me, and then nearly killing myself or some innocent family. This isn't like me. I'd never let some stupid situation get the better of me, no matter what was going on.

Great, now I'm lying to myself. I'd definitely let something like this get to me, but I'd never get others involved. I don't want anyone else getting mixed into this... This... Whatever  _this_  is.

I cracked open my car window to get some fresh air and breathed deeply. I'm in New York City, so of course it's not clean, but it's as clean as I can get. I let the sounds of the rain calm my nerves and wash away my worries. Yeah, what just happened was crazy, but it's not something I can't handle. If Levi didn't fire me for leaving early or scuffing up his floor with my pacing, I'd walk into work tomorrow like nothing happened. He's my boss and I'm his assistant, and that's that.

The light turned green and I continued driving. I kept focused on that, not wanting to be the one that got into a car accident after falsely using my sister as an excuse to get out of work. That was all I needed, to explain myself to my boss and have Mikasa be even more overprotective and overbearing.

The drive ended up being shorter than it normally was. Less traffic and red lights meant I got home faster. As soon as I stepped through the door of our apartment, I fell to the floor and broke into pieces. My bones were shaking for more reasons other than just being cold. I had calmed down substantially, but I was still messed up. This was completely and totally nuts.

I couldn't help but wonder, but was this a prank? Was today April Fool's day? Was this some sort of sadistic joke Levi liked to pull on others? If that was the case, then haha, he got me, but he seemed so serious. Levi is no actor; he can't even pull off a smile.

Was he drunk? No, I've seen him drunk before at company parties, and even then he's relatively sober. It takes a lot to get that man drunk, and when he is drunk, he tends to call people by names that are practically illegal and that's about it.

This had to be a prank. Maybe my sister was setting me up? I've pulled pranks on her before, maybe she's just getting back at me for all of the things I did to her, but then I remember that Mikasa and Levi don't get along very well. Correction, she  _hates_  his guts. I don't think Levi has anything against her, so I don't know if he really cares at all for her, but she really does hate him. She hates the way he treats me, so I don't see how she could possibly try working with the guy just to get back at me.

Then what the hell is this? What's going on? I don't understand this. I need to think, and in order to do that, I need to calm down.

I stood up from the floor and picked up the things I dropped. I kicked off my wet shoes and pushed them to the side with my stuff. I then pulled the jacket of my suit off and set it out on the kitchen counter as I walked in. My first steps were to the coffee maker. I needed something to wake me up, and coffee was the perfect thing. There was still some coffee in the pot left over from this morning, a wonderful gift from god. I poured myself a mug of it and stuffed it in the microwave to heat it up.

Once it had been heated up, I filled it with some milk and sugar and relished in the taste. I really didn't like coffee, but I could feel it warming up my bones and kicking my body into gear. It slid down my throat and warmed me up, making my cold, achy, and tense muscles relax. God, did it feel good. This was just what I needed for sure.

I sighed and walked back to the front door with my coffee. The mail was sitting in the basket, waiting to be opened. I scooped it up and flipped through it. Bills, bills, and more bills, a letter from my friend Marco who was in college now with an old... Eh,  _friend,_  Jean. The last time I got to talk to Marco, he said he and Jean were getting along really well. They had brought of the subject of marriage once or twice since then.

Great, more marriage, just what I need to hear about. I sighed as I put the mail back into the basket. I left that area in favor of being in the living room, hoping to drown myself in cartoons. That was my plan, but then something caught my eye. I looked over to the hutch standing by the dining table, my eyes falling onto the pictures of my family. I smiled as I picked up one of the pictures, the one I considered my favorite.

It was a picture of Mikasa and I with my mother. She had gotten us bikes for Christmas and we were screaming and yelling with joy. That had been my first bike, and that was what the picture was of, me fawning over my bike.

I ran my fingers over the photo of my mother in the background. She was smiling and happy, though sleep was still evident on her features. Her hair tossed over one shoulder in a loose pony tail, loose because Mikasa and I had pulled her and my father out of bed to go open presents Santa had brought us. I think it was about four in the morning when we did that, and despite their protests, we couldn't possibly wait any long. After all, we had been up all night.

I knew the bike was from my mother. As I got older, I pieced together what happened. Adding with the fact that there was no such thing as Santa (though I believed in his spirit), I found out that when this picture was taken, just before it, mom had sold her wedding dress to afford our gifts. The two ways I found that out were simple; one: Because I never saw the thing in the house again, and two: because I overheard her talking on the phone about it.

She had done so much for me, even going so far as to selling her wedding dress for me and Mikasa. Mikasa was adopted, not even her blood, and yet she still went so far for us. Times were tough, but she kept on that smile of hers and acted like everything was alright, when in reality, things couldn't have gotten any worse. I saw it more as I got older, but she blinded me from all the real issues as a child, making sure my childhood was as much of a normal one as possible. She worked herself to the bone for that, and I never got to truly thank her for it…

And I missed her so much.

"Mom, what am I going to do?" I asked the photo. I knew I wouldn't get an answer, but it helped me. I do it sometimes when I need help. Sometimes I get the answers on my own just by talking and sometimes I don't, but it makes me feel better. It makes me feel like she's still here with me. I know it's an odd thing, but it works for me.

"I just got proposed to today... By my  _boss._  I know that's shocking, right? Except he only wants the marriage for a month, and to make his grandparents happy... I'd like to help, but I don't think that it's right." I smiled as I set the picture back down on my hutch. I sat at the dining table so I didn't have to stand and sipped at my coffee.

"You know, mom, I still follow what you told me. You're supposed to be married to someone you truly love and respect. You should be happy that it stuck. It just shows you that I listened." When I was younger, my mother always stressed the importance of marriage with the right person. It had to be with someone you truly loved from the bottom of your heart and never wanted to live without. That's what I grew up believing, though I always feigned ignorance and disinterest when she spoke about it.

"I don't feel that way about Levi. I-I want to help, but marriage?" I sighed and rolled my head back. The coffee had settled now, calming me down profoundly. It made it easier to think, but now I was weighting the pros and cons about going through with it. Helping him made his grandparents happy, and it probably put me in with my boss better, but lying to make them happy? I could barely lie to begin with, just ask my sister.

"Look at me, mom. I'm actually considering marrying my boss so I can help him out. Looks like your lessons in kindness stuck too." I remarked with a smile. The quietness sunk into the room, but it didn't last long. "I'm not so thick-headed anymore, am I?"

The doorbell rang, interrupting my thought process and totally ruining the quiet that was getting rid of my anxiety. I groaned audibly, sitting up from my spot to go answer the door.

"Hey mom, maybe that's my boss coming to talk to me." I looked back at the picture frame and laughed at my stupid joke.

I thought it was funny; I really didn't expect to see my boss standing at the door when I opened it. He was simply standing there, looking at me while his umbrella was over his head and keeping him dry. My mouth practically hit the floor while I looked at him. I couldn't bring myself to say anything; I couldn't even invite him in to get him out of the rain.

"Jaeger," He said flatly. I turned my head in the direction of the living room, my eyes falling on my mother's picture. I was about ready to scream back at the inanimate object that it had just been a joke and that my mother's sense of humor still overly sucked, but Rivaille spoke before I could do that, which I consider a good thing. It would look weird for someone to yell at a photo. "Can I come in?" He asked in his normal, bored tone.

I nodded my head, the only thing I could do in my shocked state, and opened the door for him. I stepped out of the way as he walked in, closing his umbrella and leaving it outside in a polite manner so he didn't drag water into the apartment. He took off his shoes and set them down where I had set mine (tossed mine really) and walked into the living room. I followed him closely behind, wondering if he was going to speak up soon or if I had to do that for him. He seemed to be observing my place from top to bottom, however, since he had never been here before, so I knew I'd have to do it eventually.

"You followed me home?" It was one of those comments that were more of a question and a statement more than simply a question. I wasn't sure if I was asking him it or telling him it.

"I left a little after to you did." Levi mumbled, his eyes still observing the place.

"How did you know where I live then?" This was a question, although I wasn't sure if I wanted an answer.

"I pulled your address up from your file." He answered, finally looking at me for a moment.

"Isn't that illegal?" I'm pretty sure it was, but I wanted to ask just in case.

"That's not important." Gee, good answer. "Eren, I still need your help." He said. Well wasn't he in a hurry to get my answer. I looked away quickly at his words, my eyes falling to the ground in a pitiful admission of my embarrassment.

"Why do you want my help anyway? Isn't there someone else who can help you?" I asked. Levi stepped a little closer to hear me, considering that I mumbled under my breath.

"Because I need  _your_  help. You're the only person who can help me, Eren, and I really need your help." He stated boldly. I swallowed in more embarrassment, my eyes looking towards the pictures of my mother.

I could really use your help, mom.

"But... Marriage? That's nuts!" I threw my hands up in an exasperated motion as I exclaimed. Levi tilted his head, and for a moment, just a moment, I saw an emotion go across his face. It was confused, slightly dumbfounded, and berating even.

"It's not a real marriage; you know that, right?" He asked. My shoulders slumped over and my mouth nearly dropped.

"… W-What do you mean?" I asked.

"It wouldn't be a real marriage. It'd be a fake marriage. We wouldn't really be married together." He explained.

"You couldn't have said that  _sooner?_ " I suddenly barked at him while my hands clenched into fists by my sides.

"I thought I did," He mumbled.

If he wasn't my boss, I'd hit him. I would beat the ever living shit out of him.

"No, you neglected to mention that little detail in your plan." I growled.

"It'd be a fake marriage. We'd have fake wedding bands, a fake marriage certificate, and things like that. We wouldn't really be tied together." He said, that confused look leaving his face. I felt like hundreds of pounds of weight were lifted off of my shoulders. This was such a relief to me that I couldn't have been happier, but it still left the problem of lying to his great grandparents and deceiving them. I'm not sure if that was something I was willing to do.

"I'm sorry for not making it clear earlier." He apologized.

"Uh..." I uttered. Great, now I'm really thinking about it. "I just... This still isn't right to me." I finally said.

"It's not right? What do you mean by that?" Levi asked, his foot tapping at the floor. Now I'm really irritating him, which wasn't what I wanted.

"You're asking me to lie to your great grandparents and pretend I'm your husband? That's not right! I can't do that to them. What did they do to deserve that?" I asked. Levi got another one of those odd looks on his face, like he was confused, but now he looked as if he was thinking hard about something. I went quiet, waiting for him to speak his mind, although, I was wondering if he even had one at this point.

"Well... If we were in a relationship, you'd be the wife, not me." He said. I smacked my palm into my forehead. I can't believe he said it with such a straight face, because I could barely keep my eyes from popping out of their sockets. Was he honestly serious about that? He didn't look like he was joking, that's for sure!

"L-Levi, I can't, I just can't do this. It's not right. It goes against what I was raised to believe." I waved my hand at him and sighed as I walked over to the couch. He followed me closely, but when I sat down, he continued standing.

"How does it do that?" Levi asked while looking down at me, his hands slipping into his pockets.

"I was raised to believe that, when you marry someone, it's because you love them from the bottom of your heart! You're supposed to know each other inside and out and care for each other so much that you can't stand the thought of them not even being there for something important like a birthday!" I preached. "Even if this is a fake marriage and it means nothing, I just... I can't do it!" I concluded.

I heard him huff above me. I looked up at him, watching as the older man looked away with an expression that said he couldn't really believe what he just heard come out of my mouth. I know it's probably out of character for me, but that's what I grew up believing and that's how I'll always feel. I can't change my mind about it just for him, and I didn't plan to.

"I can't believe this." He groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his pointer finger and thumb. I frowned at his words and stood up.

"Is something wrong with that?" I asked, my foot stomping ever so slightly. He looked at me with that expression still on his face, clicking his tongue at me, and rolling his eyes.

"You're really going to make me do this, aren't you, Jaeger?" He asked.

"Do what? I'm not making you do anything." I dared to say. Levi rolled his eyes again and pulled his hand from his pocket.

"I'm getting too old for this shit." He grumbled while getting down on one knee. I watched, my hands trembling slightly as he took one into his smaller, but still rough hands and looked up at me with a pleading look (as pleading as someone like Levi could look).

"W-What are you-" I couldn't finish. I was cut off by his words.

"Eren, will you marry me?" He asked.

And I kid you not, I fainted.


	3. The Living Arrangement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meet the grandparets. :3 Also, a big thank you to my friend Broby for helping me with the French! I speak none, so she was awesome! Please leave a comment saying thank you so I can send them to her. :3  
> Also, thank you for all of the currents comments and kudos I'm getting! (Kudos are good, right? XD) Please continue so I can learn as a writer, but because comments are like drugs. If you are a writer or artist, you know what I mean. XD

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

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**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


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**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter 3:**

**The Living Arrangement**

* * *

I still couldn't believe I fainted, and in front of my boss that had just gotten down on one knee and proposed to me. I know now that it means nothing and I know that he was just humoring me, but he's got a terrible sense of humor... Kind of like my mom.

I woke up to him, and to my surprise, Mikasa. Apparently I had been out long enough for her to come home and see me on the ground and out cold. As always, she panicked, worried and fussed over me, and when I got up she nearly hit Levi dead in the face. It's a good thing he has fast reflexes or she would have broken his nose.

He explained to her that I wasn't feeling well at work and he brought me home, where I then fainted from a fever. The lie worked and she believed it, but she was convinced that Levi had made me sick somehow. I ignored the two; I didn't need to hear them bicker.

After all of that, I still had no answer for Levi. Mikasa had walked out of the room to get a wet washcloth for me (I didn't argue with her, because I needed a minute to talk with Levi) and I attempted standing up, to which I fell back onto the couch. Levi felt my head for a fever, but I swatted him away.

"Please don't do that. I get enough of it from Mikasa." I grumbled irritably.

"I'm sorry... I didn't think you'd faint." He apologized quietly.

"Neither did I," I mumbled. Mikasa came back in with a small basin of water and a few wash cloths for me. I flinched from her touch and fussed over it, but ultimately, she won in the end. She patted my head with the damp cloth, wiping away sweat that I hadn't noticed formed on me at some point.

She sat by me while she did that, one hand holding mine with an overbearing worry. I could feel her anger towards Levi being emitted from her body while she was taking care of me, and I barely saw the glare she was giving him from the corner of her black eyes. Damn she was pissed.

"I told you, Mikasa, I'm fine." I huffed.

"Hush up." She scolded and pressed the cloth to my neck. The cold was shocking, but slightly relieving. "You were fine yesterday, why do you suddenly have a fever now?" She asked quietly. I had a feeling that she was asking that to herself more than me or Levi, because it was nearly a whisper.

"I didn't sleep too well last night." I mumbled, hoping that she'd believe it.

"You're going to bed early tonight." She suddenly commanded. I flinched at her harsh tone and dropped my head.

"Okay," I grumbled. There was no use trying to fight her. If I didn't do what she asked, she'd more than likely force me into bed and then lay there with me until I fell asleep. I'm too old for that crap. It may have been cute when we were five, but at twenty years old, it's just plain creepy.

"I want you drinking a lot of water too." She added.

"Mikasa, not in front of my boss," I whined. She tugged on my ear, eliciting a painful cry from me, and then begging, which then turned to me completely obeying her. Levi merely stared at the two of us, not even pausing in the blank stare of his to smile, smirk, or even yawn. Was he even  _breathing?_

"I want you taking some allergy medicine too, just in case this is all allergies." She said.

"I don't think we have any left." I mumbled while rubbing me ear. She groaned to herself and looked at Levi with an irritated stare. She then huffed under her breath and looked at me.

"I'll have to buy some then." She said begrudgingly. I nodded my head as she stood up and grabbed her bag that had been on the floor. "The only reason I'm leaving you here is because I don't want Eren alone, and I don't want him going outside while he's sick either." She pointed to Levi and said.

"Understandable," Levi murmured. Mikasa's eyes twitched before she turned and stalked out of the front door, leaving us alone. She really did hate him. It surprises me sometimes that she hasn't killed him yet.

Regardless, we were alone. I began twiddling my fingers in my lap, my face flushed from his previous words and my head down to ignore his stare. Being alone, I had his full and undivided attention. Damn it...

"Sorry for making you faint," He apologized without a hint of sarcasm.

"I-It's alright..." I sounded horrible. I sounded like a cat that had been stepped on... Not that I would know what one sounds like. "I know you didn't mean to."

 _'Although I wonder if you actually enjoy torturing me like this.'_  I thought, and I kept those thoughts down. A few seconds ticked by, the only audible sound being the clock on the wall a few feet from us ticking away as the time passed. It wasn't until Levi gave a heavy sigh that the silence was finally broken.

"Eren, I'm sorry for bringing this up now, but I still need an answer." He said. I could hear the panic lacing his normally stoic tone.

"Can't you just tell them to come in a month or something? By then you should have found someone." I improvised weakly. I was too tired to put up much of a fight anymore, leaving myself tired and quiet.

"I can't do that. They're already on a plane and they'll be here tomorrow. I'm out of time." Levi stressed. I fidgeted in place, my hands tightening their grip around each other.

Levi was in a real jam, wasn't he? He really didn't want to upset his grandparents, but he didn't have time to come up with a better plan. He didn't want to tell them that he really didn't have a partner and break their hearts; hell, they were flying all the way from France to meet whoever it was. I didn't want to upset them either. I'm not cold hearted, but lying and deceiving them to make them happy, and worse, lying about marriage? I don't think I can do that.

"Levi, I-I don't..." I mumbled.

"Eren, I need your help. You're the only one who can help me." Levi scooted closer to me, making me flinch.

"Don't propose to me again. I don't think I'm physically or mentally capable of handling it." I mumbled while looking off to him from the side. I could hear him huff, but I wouldn't call it much of a laugh.

"I won't do it again. Next thing I know you'll be in an ambulance on your way to the hospital." Was he making a joke? Levi could do that? My  _boss,_  Rivaille, knew how to makes jokes? "Eren, I don't like to rush things, but I need an answer." He pursued.

"If you don't help me, fine, I'll see what I can come up with, but it'll make my month so much easier if you did this for me." He continued. I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it. "Besides, wasn't it you yourself who said we didn't know how much longer they had left?" He questioned. "Can I bribe you? I'll give you a raise if you want one."

"N-No, I don't need that." I said and shook my head. Another quiet moment passed before Levi spoke up again.

"You and your sister are in college, right?" He asked. This peaked my interest slightly, causing me to lift my head and look at him. I nodded hesitantly, and I could see something flash across his eyes. He must have known that he got my attention. "If you do this for me, I will pay your way through college." He offered.

My eyes widened at the statement. Pay our way through college? Was he being serious? That's such a generous offer; he's really desperate, isn't he?

"I have money to spare and I don't ever use any of it. I'll pay your way through college, even up to a doctoral degree if you want. Whatever money you and your sister need I can give you." He said, staring directly into my green eyes and frowning even more, looking all the more serious.

Would he really do that? That would be just what we needed. We wouldn't have to fret over those damn loans anymore and we wouldn't be forever in debt, and all I had to do was play husband for a while. This was such an opportunity for us, and if I took it, Mikasa wouldn't have to work so hard. She could simply focus on her studies, and so could I. We wouldn't have to be working our asses off for a better life. All I had to do to make things easier was say yes...

I looked down at my hands in my lap again, watching my fingers pick under my nails and around the cuticles. I took a deep breath, my hands shaking as I dared to look up at Rivaille. He still had that same frightening look on his face, the look of someone who had nothing left to lose, the look of someone who was practically defeated...

I think I looked that way when I got this job.

"... Just for a month?" I asked in a mumble.

"Two weeks. If they stayed any longer, I don't know what I'd do." Levi answered rather quickly, as if he felt a tinge of hope rise up from the ashes of my previous rejection. "I can only handle them for so long," He finished. I looked away again and sighed. He tilted his head, once more scooting closer to me until our knees were touching. At some point his arm had snuck its way behind me to rest on the rim of the couch, so with the way he was sitting, I felt trapped.

Was he giving me the option to say no or not?

"Will you help me, Eren?" He asked. I could feel the weight of his stare pushing against my skull.

"... Yes," I finally answered through a thin and tiny breath. I dared to look up again, and I could see the relief fly across his face. He sighed heavily, the burden and worry off of his chest. He almost cracked a smile...  _Almost._

He was... Happy? I know he's relieved, but happy? I'm not so sure.

I regret saying yes, I really do, because now I'm running down Time Square and trying to get to Levi's apartment, and I'm already late. Planes are always late, right? They haven't gotten there yet and surely haven't gotten to Levi's place. That would be just what I needed; my first day as a husband and I already piss off my new great grandparents. Wee.

I know where Levi lives, though I've never been to his place. I have the street address and everything, but flagging down a cab is too much. I tried once and nearly got one, but there was an older woman with her child and a newborn, and I didn't want to leave them in the rain like that.

Yep, it's still raining. I'm such a sucker. I know I'm too nice, but I guess that's another thing I got from my mom. If I can make it to Levi's and still have a plan worth doing, then I'll be happy with my decision. Until then I'm kicking my own ass for giving that women my cab.

I bolted down Seventh Avenue and then went down Forty-Sixth Street. I could see the apartment building Levi told me of, and with all of my dwindling energy, I bolted for the place. I got odd looks from people, but I ignored them. This is New York City; I'm not going to be the strangest thing they see today. The only thing that nearly stopped me was the apartment security, which surprised the hell out of me. This must be some fancy place to have such high security.

They only gave me a warning. They told me not to run and that I had to have my backpack checked. I let them, considering I had nothing to hide, and I heeded their warning about the no running policy... Until I got out of their sight that is. I booked it for the elevator, but upon arriving at it, there were so many people crowded around it that I couldn't even see the damn door. I ran for the emergency stairs, knowing running would be faster than waiting for an elevator.

I was right. It was faster. I just wished that Levi didn't live on the twenty-ninth floor.

I was panting by the time I finally got to his floor. By the time I was at his door and knocked, I was bending over my knees, seeing spots in my eyes, and sweating profusely.

' _Yeah, I'm a real catcher. It's easy to see why Levi got married to me.'_

Said man I was just thinking about suddenly opened the door, causing me to look up at him with my big and worried eyes and my mouth ajar to breathe.

"A-Are they here yet?" I asked breathlessly.

"No, their flight was delayed half an hour, because of the rain." Levi answered while opening the door more for me to come in. Hearing the news, I promptly dropped onto the ground, half of my body still in the hallway and the rest in Levi's apartment. I groaned with relief and utter annoyance; he couldn't have texted me that? He has my number! "What took you so long?" He asked and kicked at my side.

I grunted when his attempt to knock the air out of me worked. I pushed myself up onto my hands and knees and crawled the rest of the way in so Levi could close the door.

"My car broke down and I couldn't get a cab. I ended up running all the way here." I let out through my heavy breathing.

"Do you need some water...? Or an inhaler?" Levi asked. I shook my head, a small smile taking place instead of the frown on my lips. I pushed myself to stand up on my legs and looked his way, waiting for him to make the next move. Levi started by walking ahead, motioning for me to follow with his hand. I did just that, walking into his living room and admiring it on the spot.

"D-Do you know when they'll be here?" I asked, my eyes taking in his apartment around me. His place was huge. It doesn't surprise me anymore that there was security at the buildings front doors; anyone who lived like this would need security.

To start with, his apartment had a small hall leading to each individual room. His living room was the first open archway to my right. It had another archway in that room leading to a dining hall, and across the hall was the kitchen. The place was huge, a pent house even. I can see what he meant by having a lot of money. The living room itself was huge, bigger than Mikasa's and I's apartment all together, and I couldn't even compare it to any of the other rooms since I hadn't seen them yet.

I was so busy praying to the flat screen gods that I didn't even see the two plush couches sitting across from each other or the glass coffee table in the middle of it. The flat screen was against the wall, hanging above an entertainment system that looked like it came straight from a movie. I didn't even care about the light blue walls or wooden paneling that went half way up. I could hardly care less about the curtains covering the wall sized windows. I only noticed those because I could practically see the whole city from the view.

I was in complete and utter awe of the place, jealous even. I think I would have spent the entire day dreaming of this place had it not been for Levi walking into my view to turn the TV off. He used a remote from the coffee table and then set it down gently, probably because he didn't want to scuff up the glass.

"Any minute. You made great timing." Levi commented. I had nearly forgotten the question I had asked him. Levi stood up straighter while looking back at me. I stopped my gawking of his apartment when feeling his eyes on me, and I noticed him looking at me with a disparaging look.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Do you normally dress like that when you aren't at work?" He asked while pointing to my attire. I looked down to myself, feeling like there wasn't anything wrong with it. I was wearing a pair of blue jeans with a gray, short-sleeved shirt that had a hood on the back of it. My shoes were converse sneakers and my backpack was something that looked like any college student would use. I saw nothing wrong with it.

"Yeah, why...? Is there something wrong with how I dress?" I asked, rather hurt by the thought of him mocking my fashion sense. I know I didn't have much of a fashion sense, but it was better than none all together.

"You dress like a teenager." He remarked. My eyes narrowed at him slightly from the comment.

"I'm still in college, what did you expect?" I asked, making sure my tone showed how offended I was.

"Don't you think it's a little odd for a man in his thirties to be married to someone so young?" Levi smirked as he spoke and I found myself flushing at the comment. I didn't even think about our age difference. Would his grandparents question it? Would they disapprove of me because I was younger? I hadn't even met them yet and they probably already hated me. That really wasn't fair.

"Don't worry; I lied about your age. They think you're twenty-eight." Levi said. I sighed, my nerves relaxing when I heard this. Good, so they don't hate me...  _Yet._

"Thanks," I shrugged slightly and said. "What else did you tell them about me?" I asked.

"Not much; just that you work with me, you age, and that you're in school for a bachelor's degree." He stated while sitting on the couch. I stood in place, not sure what I was supposed to do. Should I sit down with him? Should I keep standing? I know we're playing married, but he hadn't gone over anything yet as to how far we have to play this "game."

"Did you tell them what my degree was?" I asked and my voice trembled. The little lift in his eyebrow proved to me that he heard it, and I inwardly cursed.

"Law... Was that right?" He asked. I frantically nodded my head, feeling the overwhelming tension crushing me. I wanted it to end, but what was I supposed to say? What was I supposed to do? I didn't have a clue.

"What are you waiting for? You can sit down if you want to." Levi motioned to either of the couches with his hand, and I sighed quietly in relief. I smiled slightly in agreement and sat down on the couch beside him. I didn't want to make things uncomfortable, although, I think we were past that now, but I didn't want to make things complicated either. "I'm not going to bite your head off for sitting down." Levi scoffed and leaned back against the plush, white couch.

His arm draped the rim of the couch behind me, practically trapping me near him. I could feel my breathing constrict as I tried to make myself smaller, but all that did was make things even more difficult for me.

"Alright..." I mumbled and set my book bag down on the floor by my feet.

"What, did you really think I would?" He asked while glaring at me. I didn't know how to answer that. I did in some ways, but I also didn't think he'd go that far. I then found it amusing that I would think in a million years that Levi wouldn't beat my ass for something simple. I opened my mouth to speak up and answer Levi, who was looking a little impatient with me and my uncomfortable pauses, but I was stopped by the sound of a bell ringing, no doubt the doorbell. I turned my head to the hallway as Levi got up from the couch and patted himself off.

"That's got to be them." He uttered rather pathetically. I stood up to follow him as he made his way to the front door. He grabbed at the doorknob, but stopped and looked back at me. "Are you ready?" He asked.

Was that a rhetorical question? Of course I wasn't ready! I knew very little about Levi, and anything his grandparents brought up would be new information to me. How could I possibly pretend to know everything about him when I knew nothing to begin with? I should have at least known things like his favorite color (if this man had one) and what he liked to do in his free time.

Even after working with this guy for two years, I was clueless to what he liked. He rarely said anything about his personal life. Did he have hobbies or special skills? Did he stay at home on days off or go out with friends? What were his favorite foods? What were his favorite TV shows? He had to have one considering the huge flat screen he had.

I should have known even the tiniest of details, such as if he liked sleeping with a TV on in the background for noise or walked around after having a terrible nightmare (like I do, regrettably), but nope, I knew nothing.

Despite the inner turmoil, I looked down at myself and then back up to shrug my shoulders.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Oh that is such a lie. I could do a lot better than this. Levi took a deep breath and nodded his head. He then opened the door, revealing two elders standing behind it.

The older woman was in a wheelchair with an old, hand-woven blanket draped over her legs. She was wearing an old, black sweater, but I could tell that the pretty butterfly designs embroidered in the sweater were not part of the original design. Her gray hair was pulled up into a bun on the back of her head, and around her neck was a rather long chain connected to the glasses on her face. She wore a big, bright smile, flashing her teeth at us and just warming my heart.

The man standing behind her (who I instantly took for as her husband) was the one who just passed his hundred and first birthday. I've never met a person so old, and I've never seen one, not even on TV, who would be up and walking. He had a grin just as nice as his wife's smile, flashing some obvious dentures, but I didn't mind that. He wore a heavy jacket around his shoulder, a big, black, and bulky thing that tied around the waist and went down to his knees. I could only see the ends of blue sweat pants on him, and his shoes were, to my surprise, a pair on converse sneakers like I wore.

Upon seeing each other, the elderly couple immediately cheered in delight when seeing Levi. His grandmother pulled him down and hugged him and his grandfather patted his back and waited patiently for his turn. The first thing I noticed was the French they spoke.

Oh the French. I took Spanish in school, and I barely passed with a D plus. I spoke nothing of French and none of it was even familiar to my ears. I had no idea what they were saying, which concerned me. One of them could have said something about me as an insult and I wouldn't know that from a simple greeting. What would I possibly do then?

"Grand-mère, grand-père, il est bon de vous revoir." Levi bent down to press a kiss against his grandmother's cheek while he spoke. She kissed his cheek back, her smile bright and shining. She looked so happy to see him, but I couldn't believe Levi wouldn't even crack a smile for them. Did he not care to see them again? He was so worried on pleasing them with me, but he wouldn't smile when seeing them after, what, ten years did he say? "Allait-il comment votre vol?"

It was weird hearing Levi speak in French. I know he was born and raised there, but the man never had an accent from what I could tell. You'd never even guess he was French if it wasn't for his name. He always spoke in English when he was at work or in someone else's company, and he never even muttered anything in French while he was alone. Hearing him speak it was odd, but what was even odder was that his voice was slightly higher when he spoke in it. It almost sounded like he was purposely trying to raise his voice, but I wasn't too sure.

"Votre grand-mère a dormi par la plupart, mais le turbulance était terrible. Elle est chanceuse qu'elle pouvait dormir." His grandfather's voice was strong and vibrant, so lively and bright. It almost shocked me, however, by how deep it was. I wasn't expecting that for someone his age. "Il est très bon revoir mon garçon jeune." His grandfather spoke up and hugged him.

Levi hugged him back, patted his shoulder, but still he didn't smile. I looked to this older man, my eyes looking at him up and down. I couldn't believe it; this hundred and one year old man was standing in front of me, smiling brightly at his grandson and hugging him with his thin and boney limbs. He looks so full of life, both he and his grandmother. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I heard about them, but I know for sure I wasn't expecting this.

"Oh, Rivaille! Regardez-vous! Vous êtes plus beau depuis l'époque passée, mais vous êtes toujours tellement sous peu pour votre âge." I have no idea what she said, but she frowned when looking down to his feet and then back up to his face, and Levi didn't look all too pleased by it either.

"Je sais, grand-mère." He replied with.

"Maintenant, où est-il? Où est votre nouveau mari?" His grandmother practically bounced in her wheelchair while speaking. I didn't know what they said, but Levi pointed in my direction, and his grandparents eyes fell onto me. I froze in place while they looked at me, my eyes falling to their feet as Levi pushed his grandmother over to me.

"Son visage est très beau, Levi." His grandmother spoke and lifted her hand. I looked up at her when she motioned for me to lift my head, and when I saw her eyes, for a split second, I could see a resemblance in the two of them. "Et les yeux. Très jolie.

"Vous choisez toujours les jolies personnes. Petra était beau aussi." I heard Petra's name when his grandfather spoke up, and I wondered if they were comparing me to her.

"Grand-mère, grand-père, il s'appelle Eren." Levi finally spoke up. I heard my name, so I guessed that he told them it.

"Et un nom beau aussi." I really hoped that they spoke some English to some degree. I was going to feel bad for using Levi as a translator if they didn't. Finally, his grandfather left his wife's and Levi's sides to shake my hand. As he did, he placed a firm hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"It's great to finally meet you." He spoke. I can't tell you how relieved I was to hear him speak in English.

"It's great to finally meet you too. Rivaille has told me a lot about you." I cursed at myself for calling him his actual name. Technically we're married, so I suppose I could have called him by a pet name, but it was too late for that now.

"All good things I hope." His grandmother said and patted my arm. I'll admit it; I was definitely surprised to hear how good their English was. They didn't have much of an accent when speaking in English, but they were obviously French.

"Yeah, all good things," I assured.

"Your grandmother here was just talking about how beautiful you are. We were saying that Levi always picked the pretty ones, like Petra. You're such a thick-headed boy sometimes, Rivaille, but I guess it only matters if you're happy." His grandfather pointed back to Levi and wagged a finger at him as he spoke.

So they had been talking about Petra. They were comparing us, although, they were saying I was pretty like her, so it wasn't like they were insulting me (I wasn't sure how I felt about being called pretty, however). Despite the comments, I quietly chuckled while his grandmother rolled his eyes.

"Forgive him; he just loses his mind sometimes." His grandmother said while tugging at my sleeve. I laughed again as his grandfather spoke up.

"I lose  _my_  mind? Who was the one who kept asking how much longer until we got here on the plane ride over here?" He pointed at her with his boney fingers and I laughed again.

They really were so lively and bright. They were really nice people, which really made it easier for me to breathe. I was afraid of making a terrible impression on them and have them hate me for it, but with how easy going and laid back people they seemed to be, I felt a little less anxious.

"Come on, everybody. Let's stop wasting away here." Levi said and walked forward into the living room. His grandfather followed, leaving his grandmother stranded and cursing at the two in French. I smiled as I grabbed the back of her wheelchair and pushed her along with me.

"Oh thank you, Eren." She said and patted my hand. "What a good boy you are." She complimented and then turned her attention back to the two. "It's obvious someone raised  _him_  right." She huffed at them.

"Oh boy, here we go again." His grandfather rolled his eyes as he sat down on the couch I had previously sat on. I wheeled his grandmother over to the same couch and then stepped over to Levi so I wasn't in their personal space. "Your grandmother can go on for ever and ever about manners and politeness. It's a never ending story with her." I found it slightly funny how this man could wave his arms about in such a lively manner when he talked. His wife didn't seem too pleased with it, but she probably was used to it with being with the man for so long.

"Are you thirsty at all? Do you want anything to drink?" Levi asked while placing his hands in his pockets.

"I could really use some water, honey." His grandmother said while rubbing her throat.

"Don't give me any water. You know me, I drink some water and I'll be out like a light. My body will think it's nighttime and I'll be sound asleep." Again his grandfather used such wild movements with his hands while he spoke. Levi nodded his head quietly and left to the kitchen to get his grandmother water like he said he would. This left me alone with them, and I couldn't have been any more nervous.

I wasn't sure what to do. I knew I was supposed to act married, but it would be easier for me if I knew what one of those looked like. I decided, since I was standing around and twiddling my thumbs like a dork, that I should at least sit down. There was no point in standing around like a useless dunce.

"So, Eren," His grandmother began. I looked over to her and smiled, trying to remain as calm as possible despite the inner turmoil I was dealing with. "Levi told me he met you at work. You're his assistant, right?" She asked.

"Yeah, we met a few years ago when he hired me." I said, and boy did I hope that Levi hadn't lied about  _when_  we met.

"Ah right. He said you were studying to become a lawyer as well." She stated. I nodded my head to her. I was hoping they'd explain what they'd heard from Levi first, that way I could just go along with whatever they said and I wouldn't seem so stupid. "You look so young to be in that field." She said. I shrugged my shoulders and feigned disinterest.

I was young. I wasn't even legally allowed to drink, but they didn't know that. They thought that I was only five or six years younger than Levi, not fifteen. How would they react if they knew my real age? Probably not well. I was barely of legal age to date this man let alone be married to him.

"What college do you go to?" His grandfather asked.

"I go to an online college, that way I can work and still keep up with school." I said. I had made that decision just after high school, and I'm glad I did. I'm pretty sure my life would have been hell had I tried to keep up with school and work in two totally separate areas.

"What a smart idea," His grandfather said. "We didn't have stuff like that in my time. We still had to go to campuses and what not." It hit me all of a sudden that this man was alive when segregation was still an issue in America. I wanted to ask him about it, but I knew not to. It would probably be an insult to him in more ways than one.

"So does Levi help you with your school work?" His grandmother asked.

"Uh, he's offered a couple of times, but I can't take his help. I feel like I should earn my degree on my own." Oh god I hated lying. Levi never offered to help me, and I was sure that the idea never crossed my mind to ask him for help. Now that I thought about it though, it seemed like a pretty good idea.

"Levi, you've picked a good spouse." I turned my head when she suddenly said his name. Levi walked into the room, a cup of water in his hands for his grandmother to drink. She took it gratefully and sipped it before she continued to talk. "But tell me, why did you two suddenly decide to elope?" She asked.

Levi and I exchanged glances between us, and I could see the same thing in his eyes flash like mine.

 _Shit…_  We never thought to go over that little detail. In all cases I wondered why Levi even said he eloped to begin with. Did he have another lie in store for that or was he drawing a blank? I looked to his face for answers, but he seemed just as deterred as I did about the question.

"Uh…" I started. "Well, in all honestly, marriage has never been an easy thing for me." Levi looked down at me as I spoke, and I guessed he was probably surprised that I would try and take control of the situation (I'm a little surprised that I'm trying to myself). "To me it's just a slip of paper that binds two people together legally, but… Levi really liked the idea." I looked over to Levi, a small smile on my lips as I spoke.

The surprise was very obvious on his face now. I looked away, not wanting to raise suspicions, but I was confused myself. Had I said something wrong? Did I look stupid while saying it? Was it not believable? Had he said something totally different to them?

"I thought that it wasn't so bad, because I love him and he's loves me, so… We decided on getting married. Eloping though, that was a shock for me as well." I laughed innocently as I rubbed the back of my neck. "I told him that we should wait, but... It made him happy." My eyes followed Levi as he slowly walked around the couch and sat by me.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but you've been married for a long time, right?" I asked. The two elders nodded their heads in response. "How do you do it? Like I said before, marriage isn't easy for me, and you two have been together for so long. These days the divorce rate is so high, so…" I trailed off.

All I was saying was true. Divorce was something I knew well of, considering that I worked in that field all of the time, and so did Levi. It seemed that all we worked were divorce cases these days. I may not really be married with Levi, but I am truly curious to know how they can stay together for so long.

Levi's grandfather smiled, flashing a fake-toothy grin at us while his grandmother sent him a loving stare. She reached over and patted his hand, to which he returned the gesture.

"I know what you mean. Even poor Levi had suffered that end." His grandmother's face fell sullen as she talked, but when she looked up at me, her spirits seemed to lift a little.

"These days, children are getting married at such a young age." His grandfather groaned in exaggeration.

"True, but age doesn't necessarily mean much. I've known him now since our days in the sixth grade. It was meant to be for us. There are people who think they know what love is, but sometimes they don't get it. You'll know when it's the right person though. Sometimes, something just clicks, and you realize that you've found the person you want to be with forever." His grandmother spoke softly while holding her husband's hand.

Their words were inspiring. This was what a real marriage should look like. These people were the perfect role models for future generations. I really did have issues with marriage; even when I was younger I swore I'd never get married no matter how much my mother told me about it, but with the way his grandmother spoke, I was definitely willing to give it a try, so long as I found the right person.

How would I know that click? How would I truly know who  _the one_  was? So many questions, but I guessed that there was no real answer. Love comes differently for everyone;  _that_  much I knew. I was about ready to ask them when they knew when they were in love, but Levi brought me out of my thoughts.

His head fell against my shoulder and his hand found mine, his fingers lacing between mine calmly. I flushed at the position we were in, but when I looked at his great grandparents, they seemed completely in awe of us, like we were the best thing their old eyes had ever witnessed.

"Mon bébé," His grandmother cooed at us. "Look at you, Levi. I haven't seen you smile like that in so long." Upon hearing her words, I looked down at Levi. To my surprise, he was indeed smiling.

Levi could do that? He could smile?  _My boss could_   _smile?_  And not just any smile, he looked so…  _Happy._  He looked so content and peaceful with that smile on his face and his eyes half lidded in a sleepy expression. I have never seen such an expression on his face before, but he honestly looks happy.

"It makes us happy to know that our little boy is being taken care of." His grandmother said while clasping her hands together by her lap.

"I'm not so little anymore, grandma." Levi chuckled, freaking  _chuckled_ , and I couldn't help but smile as I kissed the top of his head. I hoped he didn't mind that, because I was only playing up the moment. He didn't seem to react any different, not even blink to the gesture, so I assumed I was good.

"That's right. He's a big boy now with his own apartment and own stuff." His grandfather said while gesturing to Levi's home. I couldn't have agreed with him more.

"Is that your way of asking about staying here and not in a hotel, grandpa?" Levi asked with another heart melting laugh. He needed to stop that. I wasn't used to it. I wasn't sure if I could listen to it without keeping my eyes bulging out of my sockets any longer.

"Oh well since you offered." I laughed myself at his grandfather.

"We won't be any trouble, and neither of you will even notice us." His grandmother waved a hand at us and smiled a bright smile, but something just crossed my mind, and by the way Levi squeezed my hand, it just crossed his mind too.

Crap… I didn't think of  _that_ either _…_

"You'll be staying in the guest room at the end of the hall." Levi said and stood up from the couch. "Want me to show you guys there?" He asked.

"If we can find our way from France to America, I'm pretty sure we can find your room, Rivaille." His grandfather scolded as he stood up, but not without some effort. I could hear his poor bones pop and grind together as he stood and I couldn't help but wince, but once he was up, he was able to walk without any difficulties. He helped his wife along by pushing her wheel chair (another thing that surprised me, considering his brittle bones) and, once the two were out of sight, Levi dropped back onto the sofa. He buried his face into his hands while I looked at him, my face finally letting the worry I had been hiding show.

"Levi," I whined.

"I know," He grumbled into his hands. "I didn't think about it either. It never even crossed my mind." He admitted while rubbing his temples.

"They expect us to live together, Levi!" I whispered in a panic.

" _I know, Eren._  You don't have to remind me." He hissed and let his hands fall past his knees. I stared at him for a moment, expecting something like a good idea to come from him, but he didn't have anything, just like earlier. I may not have been ready for this, but he sure as hell wasn't ready for it either.

"What are we going to do?" I asked, hoping to get him thinking faster and getting some sort of idea eventually. He didn't answer. I pushed at his knee with my hand, earning a quick slap that did well for pulling a small yip from me. I pulled my hand back defensively while he finally lifted his head up. The dead look in his eyes told me that something was wrong.

"That's it then," He said while shrugging his shoulders.

"What's it?" I asked.

"We can't keep up this stupid façade any longer. I'll just tell them and you can go home." He stood up to leave, to go do what he had just said he would do, but I grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him back. "What are you doing, Eren?" He asked bitterly.

"N-No, don't do that. You'll break their hearts." I pleaded with him. The position I was in forced me to stand up, but even with the height difference, I still felt like I was three feet tall as he stared me down.

"Well then what the fuck are we going to do?" He asked. I bit my bottom lip at his harsh tone and looked away. I know that I can easily walk out of this; I was given the golden opportunity to, but after meeting his grandparents and seeing how nice and caring they were, how easily accepting of me they were, I couldn't possibly do that to them.

"If… If you can put up with me, I'll live here until they leave." I suggested. Levi looked rather surprised by the suggestion, but I wasn't sure if he could possibly contemplate the idea.  _Me_  living with  _him_? I'd be dead by tomorrow, and he knew that just as well as I did. "I'll stay out of your way as much as I can, and when they're around we'll act married. It's only two weeks anyway, right?" I asked, just to confirm it.

"Yeah…" He mumbled. He stared me down again, to the point where I nearly ended up with my butt on the floor until he spoke. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked.

"I don't want to upset them, and I said I'd help, didn't I?" Levi tilted his head and scoffed.

"You sure this isn't just to get through college?" He asked. I sunk back a bit by the comment. Honestly, I hadn't been thinking about that at all. I just really didn't want to hurt his grandparent's feelings, and that was about it. When seeing the apprehension I faced, Levi rolled his eyes at me and crossed his arms over his chest. "Ignore it, Jaeger. If you're really willing to help me, then so be it."

"Okay… But I have to tell Mikasa." I stated daringly. Levi shot me an annoyed glance.

"Why?" He asked.

"Don't you think she'd notice me missing for two weeks?" I asked. Levi looked away, but I could tell that he was thinking about it, and he knew very likely that she'd kill him when hearing the news.

"You can't tell her that you're staying at a friend's place for a bit?" He asked begrudgingly.

"The only friend I'd ever stay with is off in college. I could always tell her I'd be staying with Hanji or Petra, but that would just bring up more questions." I shrugged my shoulders slightly. Levi rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue before waving his hands in the air.

"Fine, whatever; do whatever you want. I don't care." He grumbled. I smiled widely from his remark and I felt like I could hug him, but I didn't. That'd only get me a fat lip. I settled for nodding my head to him instead.

"Good," I said with a sigh. My shoulders relaxed as Levi finally looked away from me and down the hall to where his grandparents were. When seeing that they were still out of ear shot, he walked back over to me and sat on the couch. "I have a question," I announced rather abruptly.

"Shoot," He mumbled.

"Either your grandparents are hard of seeing or they don't care that I'm a guy…" I said while sitting down by him.

"They know, they just don't care. So long as I am married they wouldn't care if I was married to an animal." He grumbled while leaning back into the couch. Again with the jokes; I know they're sarcastic, but it surprises me that he's trying to joke in the first place. "… Although you're pretty close to one." He added quietly, more to himself than me. Levi lifted his head off of the rim of the couch and looked at me.

"Eren, I don't know if you've noticed it yet, but my grandfather has a knack for gabble." Levi stated. I kind of already noticed it. "He can go on forever about any subject. When I was younger, I had him going for a good, solid hour about American government." He continued.

"I kind of noticed, but… Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

"Because he'll talk your ear off, so I'm just warning you now." He warned. I nodded my head in understanding, letting it fall back onto the couch to relax.

"Levi, could you come help us for a moment?" His grandmother called from the guest room. Levi groaned before standing up and patting himself off.

"Yeah," He called out. He looked down at me for a moment, a quizzical look on his face.

"What…?" I asked.

"I'm curious… Are you sure your degree isn't for acting?" He asked.

"No, it's not, why?" I questioned.

"Nothing, it's just that you surprised me earlier with your acting. Had I not known about our little set up, I probably would have believed you as well." He replied with before leaving the room to help his grandparents.

… Did he just compliment me?


	4. Let's Have a Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who's ready to see Mikasa lose her shit? Because that's in the next chapter. XD Again, lots of thank yous to all of the comments! :D More thank yous to my friend Broby for the French translations??? :3

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

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**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
****"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
****"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"**

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**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
****Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
****Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)**

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**Chapter 4:**

**Let's Have a Talk**

* * *

Levi and I had helped his grandparents settle into the guest room after dinner. I insisted we make dinner, but Levi had said that everyone had, had a long day and didn't want to take the time (or wait) to make the food, even if it was better. After a debate between the four of us, we all settled on Chinese food from a little shop near time square. I hadn't heard of the place, but Levi insisted that it had some great food. Once we all finished eating (and I'll agree with Levi this once that the Chinese was exactly what I needed), we helped them to bed. Now it was time for us to go to bed... Oh no...

I had followed closely behind Levi with my tail between my legs, but when he opened the door to his room, I swear my heart stopped beating. I know it wasn't his big and luxurious room that did it; I expected it to be such a voluminous room after seeing the rest of his apartment, but I was in Rivaille's room, my boss none the less. I hadn't thought this part through either. Was I going to sleep in his bed with him, or was I sleeping on the floor? Did he have another room for me to sleep in possibly? If I had to sleep in here... If I had to sleep in here, that's it.

"There's a bathroom there if you need to take a shit." Levi said and pointed to the bathroom he spoke of. I had gotten used to his potty mouth by now, but sometimes he still surprised me with it.

"Thanks," I said and shrugged my shoulders a little. I really didn't know how to respond to that except for a thanks. I probably could have said, "I'll make sure to do that," but I wasn't really in the mood for sarcasm.

"I guess some time tomorrow you're going to have to get your clothes here..." Levi mumbled, but it was more to himself than me.

"I could say I have to go to work." I suggested.

"If you haven't noticed, brat, you work for me. You work on the days I work, and I have the next few days off to spend time with my grandparents." He explained as he sat down on his king sized bed. I rolled my eyes at him calling me a brat again.

Typical Levi.

"I promised I'd help a friend move." I improvised. "Meanwhile, you can take them out and show them the city. By the time you're done, I'll be done helping them and I can make lunch." Levi gave me a wired look filed with irritation and anger, but after a moment he looked away and to the floor. His eyes softened, and I could tell that he was actually considering the idea.

"That's not half bad..." He mumbled to himself again. I shifted in place, trying to decide if I should sit down on the bed with him or pick out a spot on the floor for me to sleep on. "I guess we could go with that idea."

"You got any other bright ideas?" I asked, not intending the sarcasm, but having it come out anyway.

"Very funny, Jaeger. Don't make me fire you." He threatened.

"What's with the last name? We're married after all." I said while flashing the fake ring around my finger and accessorizing it with a smirk. Now I was being sarcastic.

"Fuck you," Levi said and stood up from the bed. "I'm going to take a shower. Do you need to use the bathroom at all?" He asked.

"Nah, I'm good." I said and waved my hand at him. He let out a drawled out sighed before heading over to his dresser and pulling out some pajamas. "Where am I going to put my stuff?" I asked.

"You can move my stuff over if you need to." He said without looking at me. I can guess that I won't need to move anything of his; his dresser is bigger than him after all. "You don't plan on bringing your whole damn room with you, do you?" He asked.

"No, I was just going to bring some clothes with me." I said. "That and my toothbrush." I added with a smile. This seemed to please him to some degree.

"Alright then," He said. I watched as he set his stuff down in the bathroom and started the water. I didn't mean to stare, but my eyes wandered as he stripped himself of his white, button up shirt. I found myself becoming jealous, because this man, short, scrawny, and with no meat on his bones, had incredible abs. How long did it take me to get abs when I was in high school? I believe it took me  _all_  of high school.

My curiosity peaked as he went about his business and I couldn't help but ask.

"Hey uh... Rivaille?" I called out.

"Yeah...?" He walked back into the room with a towel around his neck and shoulders.

"Where uh... Where am I going to sleep?" I asked.

"In my bed, of course," He said with no hint of sarcasm and not so much as a twitch of his muscles. Again, how could he keep a straight face when he spoke like that?

"Are you sure? I-I could sleep on the floor if it would make things easier." Shit, I stuttered. It's because he isn't wearing a shirt and I'm jealous, that's  _all._

"Wouldn't that look weird if my grandparents walked in; you on the floor and me in bed alone?" He scoffed and leaned against the door with his arms crossed over his rather sculpted chest. "You can stay on one side of the bed and I'll stay on the other. If they come in we can do the whole "cuddle" thing. Is that okay with you?" He asked.

I nodded my head in understanding. I considered it better than being on the floor and sleeping with a couple of blankets and a pillow.

"Yeah, that's fine." I said. Levi nodded his head before disappearing into the bathroom again and shutting the door behind him. I sighed when I was alone, my body relaxing when I was free from Levi's tough gaze. I gave myself the opportunity to look around his room and take in the beauty of it before I sat down on the other side of the bed.

I was so glad Levi was going to let me sleep in his bed. It was unbelievably comfortable. Looking back over my shoulder to check and make sure Levi wouldn't see what I had planned, I flopped down onto his bed and dug my nose into his pillows. Even the pillows with satin, blue cases were comfortable. Was all of this memory foam? I had some cheap, knockoff memory foam on my bed at home, and it was nowhere near this comfortable. I took a long moment to simply delve in the bed, the blankets and pillows pulling me into sleep faster than I thought.

As I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, letting sleep lay on me like a large blanket, Levi's scent caught my attention. I pushed my nose further into his pillow and breathed deeply, trying to catch the scent I recognized. I knew his personal scent from the two years of working as his personal assistant, but I also smelled something more, something more defined that one wouldn't notice unless your nose was in his clothes or hair. What was it? I knew it, I just couldn't place it.

It was rough, like a heavy woodsy smell. Maybe rain. Was that what I smelled? Like a good, heavy thunderstorm. Maybe it was the shampoo he used? Although I've never smelled a shampoo like that.

It took me minutes of thinking to realize that I must have looked really odd. Me, sitting on my boss's bed, and smelling his rather addicting scent. I decided to forget about pinning his scent, even though I was still curious about it. I'd probably find out within the timespan of two weeks, so it was okay.

Instead of picking up on the smell, I sat up for a moment to discard myself of my short-sleeved and hooded shirt and folded it. I set it down on the floor for now, not having anywhere else to put it for the moment. This left me bare, and once done I pulled the covers back and slipped under them. I wasn't sure if I was allowed to sleep on this side or what, but if I was wrong I was sure Levi would kill me for it later. Won't that be fun?

I plopped my head down onto the pillow and pulled the covers over me. Once again, his scent invaded my senses. It really did smell like a thunderstorm and I really wondered how he could possibly get that smell on his personal property, but re-convinced myself that I'd find out later. I closed my eyes and settled my thoughts, and sleep was quick to cling to me.

I was half asleep by the time I heard Levi leave the shower. It barely registered in my head that he left and eventually sat on the bed beside me. I stayed quiet and pulled the covers closer to my face. I subconsciously inhaled his scent, not even intending to do so. I rolled over onto my side, my eyes barely opening and glancing at Levi to see what he was doing.

My boss was currently stretching his arms over his head and sighing as his muscles stretched while his covers were pulled back. He had a cup of water on his oak bedside table, and next to it was a small, white pill. I vaguely remembered Levi's grandfather saying something about having water before bed and it made me smile; Levi was a lot more like his grandparents than I realized.

"What's the pill for?" I asked. I wasn't even aware that I asked it until the words registered in my head and Levi looked back at me, his expression still as angry as it usually was.

"To help me sleep." He said before taking said pill. I watched as he set the cup back down on the table and I quietly snickered. "What's so funny?" He growled as he pulled the covers over his legs.

"Oh, n-nothing, I just uh-"

"Just what?" He asked bitterly as he lay down on his back, his elbows supporting himself to sit up a little longer.

"You remind me of your grandfather... T-The water thing." I said and scooted back a little in case he decided to hit me (because he would if I got on his nerves enough). Levi looked over to his drink and stared absentmindedly before scoffing and fully laying on his back. "Don't tell me you didn't notice it." I was rather surprised. Had he really never noticed the resemblance he faced with his great grandfather?

"Goodnight, Jaeger." He grumbled before turning onto his side and facing away from me. He yanked the covers over his shoulders and hid his face into his pillows, effectively blinding me from his view. A quiet moment passed before I sighed and rolled onto my own side, looking at nothing in particular as I closed my eyes.

"Goodnight, Rivaille..." I mumbled, but I didn't get a response. The quiet settle around us, the darkness finally setting in and making it harder for me to sleep. I normally slept with something playing in the background, whether it was a quiet and soft song (preferably a piano piece) or just the TV playing the news. This was something I was going to have to get used to for the next two weeks. I could easily put ear buds into my phone and listen to music like that, but I didn't want to run the risk of disturbing Levi. Yeah, that was all I needed.

That reminded me of Mikasa. I had texted her during dinner and told her I was staying late at work and to not wait up for me, but she was more than likely going to do so. Not only was I going to have to explain everything to her tomorrow, but I was going to have to apologize for everything over and over again...

She'll kill me before Levi does.

* * *

I'm glad to say that I found sleep after half an hour. I was surprised, because I don't normally fall asleep well (let alone stay asleep) without something playing in the background. I was even more surprised when I woke up, because I was wrapped up in a strong embrace, arms circled around me with a hand in my hair and the other on my shoulder. I could hear a heartbeat and the dull murmur of whispers. People were talking, but I wasn't sure if it was to me or not.

"-Je ne suis pas sûr. Que voulez-vous faire aujourd'hui?" I could hear Levi's voice as clear as day. I had no idea what he was saying or where I even was at this point, but I didn't care. I cuddled into this warmth surrounding me and sighed, my nose being tickled by something laced with Levi's scent.

"Il y a beaucoup de choses à faire dans une ville de cette grande. Il serait agréable de s'asseoir dans un parc. Pouvons-nous le faire?" I could vaguely make out his great grandmothers voice, but she, along with Levi, was speaking French. I was left blind in more ways than one.

"Bien sûr, nous le pouvons." There was Levi's voice again. His was much louder than his grandmothers even though he was whispering.

"Eren aimerait-il aller au parc?" I heard my name and it prompted me to open my eyes. I blinked wearily, my eyes out of focus and heavy. It was slightly dark, but I could make out the outline of Levi's shoulder, neck, and collar bone a mere inch from my face.

Now I could make things out. Levi was holding me. That explained why it was so warm and why I felt so comfortable. I don't think I've been held like this since I was a child.

"Je ne vois pas pourquoi qu'il ne l'aimerait pas. Je lui demanderai quand il se réveille." Levi spoke quietly and his grip around me tightened. I was forced to hold down a sound similar to a sigh.

"Laissez-le dormir. Hier, c'était une longue journée." His grandmother spoke just as calmly he just did, but her voice held the obvious care she possessed. How did he relate to these people? They were so kind and caring, and Levi was so... Not.

"Vous n'avez pas une idée." Levi's tone was sarcastic, so whatever he said obviously counteracted what she said.

"Travaillez-vous dur pour votre bureau?" His grandmother said.

"Oui, nous travaillons dur. Nous terminons une enquête maintenant, en fait."

"Quel est votre itinéraire après?" I was guessing by now that his grandfather wasn't in the room since it was so quiet on his side.

"Nous espérons pour se détendre. Cette enquête a été difficile pour tout le monde." Levi sighed after he spoke, his chin falling to rest on top of my head. I sighed in content and cuddled my head closer to his neck, my cheek pressing against his shoulder, which I now just realized was bare. His whole top half was bare, in fact; just by adjusting my arms, I could feel his skin slide under mine. Where had his shirt gone?

Come to think of it, I wasn't wearing a shirt either. I had taken mine off before I fell asleep, leaving my top half bare as well. The two of us were currently in bed together, pressed against each other, shirtless, and to add to it, he and his grandmother were having a conversation like nothing was completely and utterly awkward at the moment. To top it all off, I was cuddling him, my hands squished between our chests and my hands resting on his biceps, which I didn't really register into my head at first. There was so much wrong with this situation at the moment that I didn't even know where to begin.

"Ne le laissez pas ruiner votre mariage comme il avait avec votre mariage avec Petra." Petra's name again. Were they comparing us? Was she insulting me? Was she insulting  _Petra?_  Petra did nothing wrong to deserve that.

"Je ne vais pas laisser cela se produire à nouveau. Ma relation avec Eren ne sera jamais ruiné." I heard my name again, and I undoubtedly lifted my head an inch when hearing it. All that did was ruin my ease dropping (which wasn't successful, because I couldn't understand anything that they say), because Levi pulled his head back to look at me. "Are you awake, Eren?" He asked, to my luck, in English.

I lifted my head more and rested it onto the pillow beneath us instead of on his shoulder. His arm was under my neck, providing more comfort for me as I nodded my head.

"Mhm," I hummed and rubbed my eyes with the palm of my hand.

"Oh dear, I hope it wasn't us talking that woke you up." His grandmother said with a frown, making her skin crinkle from the worry and old age.

"No, that wasn't it." Yes it was.

"Did you sleep well?" Levi asked, rubbing the back of my head with his fingers, which were incredibly tender and kind all of a sudden. He was so attentive to me; I had no idea how long this was going to last, but I liked it. It was a nice change of pace compared to my boss who normally beats me for even the tiniest of things.

"Yeah, surprisingly..." I mumbled and dropped my head back onto his shoulder.

"That's wonderful to hear." His grandmother cooed in a lovely voice and patted my back. I was still conscious of the fact that I was bare, but I didn't want to be rude and flinch away from something that was more than likely a simple gesture. I ended up stiffening in place, but I didn't move from her affection. "Levi and I were just discussing going to a park to relax today. Would you like to do that today, Eren?" His grandmother asked me.

"That sounds like a great idea." I said while shifting to sit on my elbow. Levi tightened his grip around me, as if trying to remind me of our plan, but I wasn't stupid; I hadn't forgotten. "Except, and I totally forgot about it, Levi, I promise I'd help a friend move today." I managed to mutter through a yawn.

"Was that today?" Levi asked and managed to sound disappointed.

"Yeah, I totally forgot about it." I groaned.

"Oh, what rotten luck," His grandmother pouted. I absolutely hated how sad she sounded and I quickly went about trying to fix it.

"It shouldn't take too long though. Levi, why don't you take them around the city and I'll do that. I'll make lunch when we are all home." I looked to Levi and smiled at him, trying to look like I had a newlywed glow to myself. I'm only copying what I'd seen on TV, and apparently newlyweds looked really happy in the morning when waking up near the ones they loved.

"I wouldn't mind that," Levi said and looked to his grandmother. "What do you think?"

"That's a wonderful idea." His grandmother's smile widened to the thought of it. "Once your grandfather wakes up, I'll tell him about it." She said while pushing herself up from the chair near Levi's desk. My eyes widened in surprise when seeing her stand; I thought she couldn't walk? I saw her, clear as day, in a wheelchair yesterday. What happened to that?

I looked to Levi for answers, and my boss was simply rolling his eyes at me. He shook his head at me and yanked me back down to him, pushing my face back into the crook of his neck. I laughed at his action.

I already knew what he was doing. He was acting up the moment (obviously), so it was only natural that I followed his lead. I wrapped my arms around his body and pulled him close, my hands going to rest on his back while he paid close attention to his grandmother.

"Are you okay, grandma?" He asked her.

"I'm fine, Rivaille. I'm just winded, that's all." She muttered as she left the room. She closed the door behind her, leaving us alone, and after a few moments of quiet, Levi's grip finally went limp. I let out a sigh of relief and let my head fall into the soft pillow below ours.

"I'm sorry about that. My grandmother knows nothing about personal space." Levi groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose. I managed a gurgled grumble from within the pillow as my answer. "I never had any privacy as a kid." He continued on. I lifted my head out of the pillow and rested it on its side so I could look at him.

"You lived with your grandparents?" I asked.

"Occasionally," He answered as he sat up and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Why is that?" I asked out if curiosity. The look I got from him implied that I shouldn't keeping asking such questions.

"That's none of your fucking business." Ah, classical Levi is back. It brings a little more normalcy into this already odd morning. "I'm going to take a shower." He griped before standing up and stretching his arms over his head.

"You just took one last night." I lifted my head up slightly and interrogated.

"Yeah, what's your point?" He leaned against the bathroom door and quipped. I stayed silent for a moment before shaking my head.

"Nothing, never mind," I said and sat up.

"What time are you leaving?" He asked while pushing his bangs (in many directions from sleeping) from his face.

"Lemme check," I mumbled before bending over to grab my discarded shirt.

"What do you mean by that?" Levi questioned and I could feel the daggers going into my back as he stared at me. I pulled out my phone from my pocket and flipped it open to read the time. I couldn't even get to the time. My phone had been blown up with missed calls and text messages, all from the same person. I opened up the first one to read it.

 _"Eren, where are you? In getting worried."_  I read out loud before moving to the next one.  _"It's really late, at least call me so I know you're alright."_  I spoke out before reading the next one.  _"Eren, answer your phone. If you don't, I'm calling the police."_

I snickered before shutting my phone and sighing.

"I think that answers your question." I moaned in guilt and embarrassment before kicking my legs over the bed. "All of those were from Mikasa."

"Your sister?" Levi asked.

"Yep," I said and rolled my neck around. "She's going to go nuts when she hears about this."

"Are you going to be okay going alone?" Levi smirked with his sarcastic comment. Truth was, however, that I had no idea myself. Mikasa wasn't going to be happy that I lied, stayed out until morning, slept with my boss, and then there's the issue of telling her I'm playing husband with him. I'm so screwed on so many levels that there aren't enough levels to cover my screwiness.

"If you don't hear from me after lunch, I'm probably dead." I uttered before opening up my phone. I needed to answer her before she really did call the cops (if she hadn't already).

 _"I'm sorry, I'm alright, I promise. I'll be home in half an hour. I have to talk to you."_  I typed before hitting send. I knew that once she saw this she'd begin calling me again, all the more reason for me to leave sooner.

"Do you want to take a shower first then?" Levi asked me.

"Nah, I'll get one when I get back home." I waved my hand and said. Levi shrugged his shoulders before entering his bathroom and disappearing behind the door. I heard the shower start and I distantly wondered who it was Levi got his penchant for cleanliness from, but I ignored the inner question. I'd probably find out anyway, seeing as how Levi couldn't go five minutes without something being cleaned. If he was as bad as his grandparents were, they would show their side for it too in the near future.

I sighed one more time before tossing my shirt back over my head and standing. My backpack was still by the couch, so long as no one had moved it. My shoes were still by his front door, so all I needed to do was get those and my backpack and I could go. If his parents were still in bed, then I would be fine. I could sneak by without them seeing me (in yesterday's clothes, no less) and take care of the messy situation with Mikasa.

And just as I thought about it, my phone buzzed in my hand. I looked down into my hand and looked at the ID. It was just a text message from Mikasa, but anything could be said in one simple text message. I held my breath as I opened my phone and then the message.

_9:31 a.m._

_Mikasa:_

" _You're so dead when you get home."_


	5. The Passions of Acting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As previously stated before, because of my lack of imagination, Levi's grandparents will remain nameless. We are just going to refer to them as "Levi's grandparents," Or "Grandma and Grandpa." ^^

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter 5:**

**The Passions of Acting**

* * *

I peeked into the hallway, my eyes falling to the multiple doors and archways leading to other rooms while my eyes scanned out for Levi's grandparents. His grandmother had already seen me this morning, but she hadn't seen me in the clothes I was in yesterday, which I was in now. I never thought of bringing clothes with me yesterday, so I'm still dressed as I was yesterday. No doubt the two would question it. I only hoped that their eyesight was terrible and they wouldn't notice it. That was  _if_ they caught me trying to sneak out.

We had already told his grandmother that I was helping a friend today (a lie I will never let down), so I should be okay with that excuse, but the fact still remains that I am in yesterday's clothing. I could have tried wearing Levi's clothes, but he's five inches smaller than I am. They never would have fit me, or at least would have looked really odd on me. That would have been weird to wear around both his grandparents and Mikasa when I got home.

I tip toed past the extra rooms and to stepped into the living room where there wasn't a living soul. I sighed with relief as I grabbed my backpack off of the floor, happy to see that no one had moved it and that it was still where I left it yesterday. I opened it up to make sure everything was there, because I didn't want any of my things to be left behind. I guessed I could have left my things here, considering I was going to live here for the next two weeks, but I didn't want to leave something behind that would blow our plan to his grandparents. Everything was there, so I slipped my backpack onto my back and sighed once more.

I turned to leave, ready to get the hell out of here and go tell Mikasa what was happening, and just as I slipped out of the living room, Levi's grandfather appeared from the kitchen with a plate of eggs in his hands. I jumped in place, my heart giving a good lunge within my chest and my breath going cold at the sight of him. It wasn't him that scared me, but so much the idea that he and I had to run into each other just when I was thinking I was safe. He himself had the same reaction, jumping in place and covering his chest with his boney, old hand. I had momentarily feared that I had just given him a heart attack, but the man started laughing in place of the momentary French (cursing, I think) that he had sputtered out.

"Good lord, don't spook me like that, Eren. I'm too old for that kind of stuff these days." He said and I instantly smiled. Hadn't Levi recently said something along the lines of being too old? No harm done, as of now at least.

"Sorry about that. I didn't even see you there." I said and patted his shoulder. Levi's grandmother walked (again with the walking) out of the kitchen, a cup of water in her hands as she fixed her glasses on her face. Great, now she can see.

"Oh, leaving already, Eren?" She asked while squinting her eyes to see me better. I nodded my head and smiled a little while rubbing the back of my neck. I could feel a sweat start up from fearing if she would notice my clothes. "I was hoping you could stay and eat breakfast at least. I made some eggs for everyone." She said with a pout.

"I'm sorry about that." I said and eyed the food she made. I knew I had to leave, and I had to leave soon, or else Mikasa would come and find me herself (and then beat the ever living shit out of me in front of his grandparents), but the food did look good, and I was starving even though I ate so much for dinner last night. Not to mention that it would be rude of me to push away such a nice favor. What kind of "husband" would I be if I did that to my great grandparents? "I guess… My friend can wait a few minutes while I eat."

I owe Mikasa so much right now. I owe her weeks and weeks of vacation, starting as soon as this whole ordeal is over with.

"Oh wonderful; your plate it right here." She mentioned while pointing to said plate on the table. I smiled to her, set my bag down, and sat at the table. The eggs were in front of me, waiting to be eaten, and I couldn't help but dig in. They were practically like fluff, making my tongue water. I had to keep my mouth shut for a few minutes to make sure I didn't openly drool on the table. "How is it?"

"It's delicious!" I exclaimed. His grandmother smiled brightly in return, obviously happy about the news. "How did you make them taste so good?" I asked.

"I've been around for a long time, Eren. I've learned all of the tips and tricks when it comes to cooking." She said, almost poetically if I didn't know any better. I offered up a big grin before continuing on with my meal. I didn't want to be a pig and eat everything all at once, but I didn't want to keep Mikasa waiting. She is going to kill me enough as it is. For all I know, she could be coming here to do just that.

"Don't choke on your food, boy." His grandfather said, a light laugh in his voice.

"I won't," I promised. The two of them smiled to me before looking at each other and smiling more. This brought my own smile to my lips. I still don't know what I was expecting when I first thought of them, but I know I wasn't expecting this. They really can brighten up a room.

I felt my phone vibrate within my pocket, reminding of my restricted time schedule. It had to be Mikasa, and remembering that, I quickly finished the rest of my meal without choking on it like Levi's grandparents told me not to. My smile and the fact that I enjoyed the wonderful meal that his grandmother made must have made her happy, because his grandmother started humming a soft tune that I oddly recognized. I didn't have time to ask what it was, though, because I was already putting my dish in the sink and walking out of the room with a small goodbye to them.

"Thank you so much for breakfast!" I called out as I darted out of the room. I barely heard Levi's grandparents thanking me for eating it before I was at the door and opening it. I did a mental check on everything: shoes, backpack, and phone. Was there anything else I was forgetting?

"Eren," I heard Levi's voice from down the hall, prompting me to look back before exiting his apartment. Levi, still shirtless and in a pair of loose fitting jeans hanging off of his hips, did a slow jog up to me, his normal expression a little light for a moment.

"Yeah…?" I asked, trying not to look at his chest and become overly jealous (or blush). As Levi walked up to me, I could faintly see Levi's grandparents standing in the archway of his kitchen. I didn't want to draw suspicions by looking at them, so I forced myself to keep my eyes on Levi.

"You forgot your key again." He said and pulled my hand into his grasp. I felt the warm metal of the key touch my hand, but I barely noticed it. Levi's hands were small and soft, something I never noticed before. I was greatly curious to put my hand against his and see the difference in the sizes of our hands, but I didn't. With his grandparents still watching us, I had to act like I knew everything about Levi and loved it all. I'd only ruin it by doing that and then getting my ass kicked for it.

After working for him for two years, I thought I knew enough about him. I guess I was wrong.

As Levi's hands slipped from mine, my eyes caught a look at his face. I barely registered the wink he gave me before he stepped forward and pressed a soft, lingering kiss on my lips. My thoughts were utterly slow, so the kiss wasn't even the first thing I registered. What I registered at first was the wink. Was he trying to tell me not to blow the secret of his apartment key?

I wasn't stupid. I got that I was supposed to act like I lived there and that I had a key to "our" home. The idea that I forgot the key, "again," as he said, was a pretty good idea, I'll admit it.

It took a few seconds later to realize that he was indeed kissing me. My lips were against my boss's mouth in an intimate manner that was meant to be passionate, sweet, kind, and loving, but how in God's name was I supposed to reciprocate the feelings? Levi had been in love. He knew what it was like to feel it and knew it even more to act it. Me? Well…

I'll admit that my best friend's mom made I and him kiss each other in the first grade. That is all the experience I ever got. It's not like I never wanted to be in a relationship or anything, it's just that I was never good with people to begin with. I was the type of person who liked to talk things out with my fists instead of my head.  _"Actions speak louder than words."_  I'm the poster child for that saying.

Actions… I guess that would be a good place to start, right?

I knew this was an act, and I knew I had to act properly. I had seen enough TV and movies to get the idea of it. I got the gist of it mentally; however, my body seemed to know what it was doing before my mind could catch up with it. I had already wrapped my arms around his body, my hands falling to rest on the small of his back (very small) and pulling him closer to me.

His chest pressed against mine, and in the mix of the confusion and heat, I tilted my head to the side to avoid our noses bumping together. Levi then did the same, but in the other direction, and this left little space between us. The kiss heated up slightly, our lips moving, coaxing the others mouth open, and if it wasn't for the sudden sound of his great grandfather clearing his throat from the kitchen, lord knows how far we would have gotten in that kiss.

Levi pulled away, his head falling to my shoulder as he cast a glance back to his grandparents. The two of them were smiling and giddy, but all either he or I could do was groan in disapproval (or disappointment?).

"Weren't you cooking?" He asked in a near hiss, eyes practically darts at his grandparents. The two of them jumped, as if they thought they hadn't been caught, and suddenly disappeared behind the wall. Levi kept watching the archway, causing me to do the same, and after a few moments, a patch of gray hair and the old eyes of his grandmother peeked back at us. Levi sighed irritably before looking back up at me and kissing the side of my mouth. "I'll miss you," He said in a mumble.

"I'll miss you too," I said, my hand brushing against his cheek and pushing his bangs back from his eyes.

Yep, my body definitely knew what it was doing more than  _I_  did.

"Now," Levi said, voice falling into an aggravated tone. "Can't I get some God damn privacy around here?" He suddenly snapped back at his family, his body leaving mine so he could chase down his grandparents. I chuckled when seeing his grandmother duck back into the kitchen, and after lingering for a few more minutes, I could hear remnants of their conversation.

" _I have no idea what you're talking about."_

" _You're the blind people, not me. I could see you from five fucking feet away."_

" _Don't use such language around your grandmother, Rivaille. We raised you better than that."_

I chuckled again before leaving his apartment and quietly closing the door behind me. It was at this point, though I don't know why, that my legs finally chose to give out under me. I fell with a heavy thud, a grunt leaving me with barely any air left in my body (Levi had sucked it all out of me). I could freely let the blush on my cheeks show and the burning ache in my chest and stomach take over.

Damn. When Levi explained this insane plan to me, he never bothered to mention we would be making out. What next; are we going to have sex and have them walk in on us? I can't really say I'd appreciate that.

I could understand a possible kiss to the cheek, or something similar to what he did just a moment ago when he kissed the side of my mouth, but what we just did… I felt my face heat up just from the memories, and heat pool into a certain spot it most definitely _shouldn't_ have gone to.

Am I even going to make it through these two weeks?

* * *

I sighed, my arm reaching out and my hand pushing the door open. I should have considered it a good thing that Mikasa didn't suddenly bust the door down and sob on me, but, somehow, I found it unsettling. Just the fact that she didn't do that either meant that she left to find me or was currently at the police station…  _Trying to find me._  That or she was heavily sedated. I prayed for the second option as I entered the apartment.

It was quiet, but I could hear the distant TV playing in our room. I always left it on, and obviously Mikasa never turned it off, no matter how much it bugged her. She must have left it on the keep her nerves down, but television can only do so much. I nudged my shoes off quietly before walking into the small area we called a living room, kitchen, and dining room, and looked around. Still she wasn't here.

She wouldn't leave, not after what I did to her and the panic I put her through, and for sure not after I texted her and told her I was coming home. She definitely wouldn't do that, so where was she?

"… Mikasa?" I called out quietly. As if on que, I heard the sound of our TV shutting off and a small shuffling sound. Mikasa suddenly appeared from our room, and guilt hit me faster than I thought it would. Her poor, black hair was tousled and matted like she had been pulling on it all night. She had terrible bags under her eyes, which was a hard thing to see for Mikasa, considering her perfect sleeping record and knowledge of how to apply foundation to "problem areas" as she called it (Though she never needed it). She was still in her clothes from yesterday; this much I knew, because last I checked, Mikasa always wore presentable clothing when going to public college.

"Eren…" She said in an obvious sigh of relief. I saw her charge for me and I was about ready to run right back out the door, afraid she was going to kill me, but to my surprise, cold arms wrapped around my shoulders in a tight hug.

"Whoa-!" I let out, nearly falling over from her sudden glomp. I was just about ready to return the hug when she suddenly pulled away and slapped me across the face. "Ouch, Mikasa, what-?"

"You scared the shit out of me, Eren!" She cried out. Mikasa wasn't one for swearing (unless she was calling Levi a terrible name), so obviously I upset her to no end. "Why didn't you answer your phone sooner? Why didn't you bother telling me where you were?" And so began the on slaughter of questions.

"I fell asleep, I didn't mean to scare you, I promise!" I explained while holding up my hands. I didn't realize I had done it, but it was too late by the time I realized it. Mikasa looked at my hands, and on my left hand, on my ring finger, was the fake ring Levi gave to me. She lashed out and grabbed my hand, and when she inspected it, my heart rose into my throat and stopped my breathing. She had an absolute poker face on her, an expression I couldn't read, and that scared me more than the guilt itself.

"Mikasa… I can explain this."

"Jesus…" She mumbled. Mikasa wasn't one for religion either, but here she was saying the man's name.

"It's not what it looks like." I said as she began to pace back and forth in the small space.

"Oh no, oh no, no, no," She started mumbling and biting on her fingers.

"It really isn't what it looks like!" I tried saying over her frantic mumbling.

"Please, Eren please, just… Tell me she isn't pregnant, just say that."

"Holy shit, Mikasa, I would never do that! Just shut up and let me explain this!" I suddenly barked. The sudden accusation that I would get some poor women pregnant and then marry her for compensation was harsh, even for someone like Mikasa to suddenly say. "J-Just, just calm down and breathe. I'll explain everything once you do." I said, taking on a calmer tone and hoping she'd listen better.

It seemed to work, because she stopped pacing and stood in place to breathe. I watched her shoulders slump after a particularly heavy breath, and finally I could see the nerves on her calming down.

"Okay, you may want to sit down; it's a long story." I said. Mikasa groaned pitifully before dragging her feet over to our sofa and sitting down. I sat down beside her, placing a hand over hers in her lap in an attempt to calm her down. "Alright, so a few days ago, Rivaille told me that his great grand-"

"I knew that little fuck had something to do with this." She growled.

"Stop it, Mikasa. Just listen. He may end up being your favorite person in this story." I said. Mikasa growled a little more before the pouting began. "He told me his grandparents were going to visit, and he needed someone to play… "Housewife" with him while they stayed in America for a couple of weeks."

I didn't need to say much after that. The wires clicked in her head fast (She's smart, what less did I imagine?), and she immediately blew up.

" _Hell no!"_  She shouted and stood up, nearly knocking me off of the couch in the process.

"Just hear me out!" I had to yell over her. My ever so loving sister bit her lower lip before plopping back down onto the couch again. "I know, it's weird, but he's paying our way through college because of this. All I have to do is play his partner for two weeks and that's it."

"What do you mean he's paying our way through college?" She asked, her eyes narrowing into slits.

"This is part of our deal. He said he has so much money with nothing to spend it on. Mikasa, he's going to pay us both and make our lives easier. All it takes is just this. You can quit your job and focus on school, and we can get out of this dump and go live in a better place, away from this shithole." I continued to explain. I could see the wheels in her head turning, reading through this whole situation and calculating everything I was saying.

Good, that first half of the battle was over and the cards were in my hands.

"This will make our whole lives easier, and all I have to do is-"

"Yeah, I know, be his wife." She grumbled out, interrupting me (Why does everyone assume I would be the girl in this relationship?).

I stayed quiet after that, knowing she had gotten the full story and she didn't want to hear any more about it. I knew if I pushed the subject, she may force me not to do this, no matter how beneficial it would be for us. All I hoped was that she didn't get prideful and say she didn't want to owe him money, even though I was kind of earning it. "So… You were with him last night?" She asked, hesitance obvious.

"Yeah, I stayed at his place." I explained.

Don't say any more than what she asks for. Don't over explain things. Give her only what she wants.

"You're just to make his grandparents happy?"

"Yes, his great grandparents." I corrected.

"Have you… Met them yet?"

Uh oh. She was already thinking of ways to back out of this.

"Yeah, they came here all the way from France." I said.

Lay a guilt trip. Make her realize that I can't back down. They came all the way from France to meet me, and that was important.

"What are they like?" She asked.

Okay, now she's sizing them up. She knows that, if they're anything like Levi, she will immediately force me home.

"Really sweet; his great grandfather is really funny and his great grandmother is so kind. She made Levi and I breakfast this morning, but I promised to come here, so I only ate a bit of it." I had to throw in those details, just to prove how nice they were.

"Okay," She mumbled, her eyes looking to the floor, deep in thought. "So… If you're playing this, this "game" with him, does that mean you two have kissed?" She asked.

_Oh shit._

"No, n-not yet. We're trying to avoid doing things like that without raising suspicions." I wasn't going to tell her about the heated make out session I had with him half an hour ago. I knew if I did, she would truly kill him.

"… Are you  _okay?"_  She asked, and I didn't miss her voice shaking slightly while her black eyes finally looked up to meet mine. I offered up a weak smile and rubbed her head.

"Of course I am. His grandparents are treating me like family and Levi's being kind…" Honestly, he was, but it was all just an act. I caught the small glimpse of something in her eyes, no doubt she realized that herself. "Mikasa, I'm doing this for us…" I mumbled.

"… You're going to do it regardless, aren't you?" She asked with a grumble in defeat. I grinned widely before draping myself over her in an overbearing hug.

"Thank you, Mikasa!" I cheered against her neck. I could hear her grumbling, pouting really, because I had won. Boy, did I love to win, but it wasn't much a win, nor was it much of a consolation prize. I could only hope that these two weeks would go by fast.

"Please, Eren, just be careful." She pleaded while hugging me back.

"Of course. Honestly, the area he lives in is filled with security." I explained while sitting up. Mikasa rolled her eyes and blew her bangs out of her face.

"That's not what I meant, but that's a good thing to know." She said.

"What do you mean then?" I asked.

"I don't want you getting hurt by  _him_ , by him, or his grandparents." Her lips formed a frown, and her eyes drifted down. "We've lost enough family…" She muttered. I managed another weak smile, but it wasn't like that. I wouldn't get too close to them. I wouldn't get attached to him or them.

This was a simple contract between us, a business deal if I wanted to look at it like that. That's all it was, and it only lasted for two weeks. If I wanted to count like some person with OCD, it was now thirteen days. That was all that was left.

"I won't let it happen like that, Mikasa, I promise." I patted her head again, and finally, that small, rare smile appeared on her lips.

"Alright…" She mumbled and held out her arms for a hug. I returned it gratefully, my hands giving a few assuring pats to her back before I pulled away.

"Maybe I can pull Levi's leg a little and you can meet them, so that way you can see that I'm being treated fairly. They really are sweet, and I'm sure they'd love to meet you." I said.

"I guess that wouldn't hurt…" She shrugged her shoulders. I sighed a little before standing up and raising my arms above my head to stretch my sore muscles.

"That'll have to be later though. I have to get my stuff before he and his grandparents get back." I groaned a little, and distantly I heard Mikasa do the same thing. I knew she wasn't going to be happy about this. I think I was only ever separated from her for a total of three days, and that was for camp in sixth grade. Three days, and she knocked me to the floor in a bear hug when I got back. She frantically said that she was bored out of her mind, that my best friend, Armin, and she had missed me terribly and that I wasn't allowed to leave home ever again.

If three days was tough for her, and she couldn't sleep through last night without me, I was afraid to find out how hard two weeks would be for her.


	6. The Office Visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning... Sad shizzles is about to happen... Not in this chapter, but later ones. XD While this is a funny story, it can't be all fun in games... Unfortunately. For now, however, let's have some fun. XD  
> I am going to continue uploading two chapters a week until the story is caught up with the one on FF.net, so expect that for another twelve chapters. XD

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter: 6**

**The Office Visit**

* * *

My fingers idly typed away at my keyboard, my lips forming a long frown at the proposal I was eyeballing. After a few seconds, I figured out a way to rewrite my sentence, and I did just that. When done with that, I gave a proud smirk before sending out the proposal in an email to Levi.

"Done!" I cheered and leaned back in my chair.

"You sound so cheery today, Eren." Petra giggled from her office.

"I finally got that fucking document done and sent to Rivaille! I can breathe!" I proclaimed with a heavy breath and laid my poor head down on my hands.

"That's great to hear. That makes our jobs easier." Aurou grumbled from his office. I snorted before closing my eyes and taking a moment to breathe.

I was honestly feeling pretty good about myself. Even though I had just spent the past two days living with Levi and his great grandparents, it had been a pretty refreshing break, so when coming in to work today, I was ready to work and work hard, which I had. I had been speedy with my work, and this now left me plenty of time to relax. If I was allowed to, I could easily go home and relax, maybe even take a nap, but then I remembered that my home was temporarily at Levi's. Even if I was allowed to leave, Levi's grandparents are home and waiting for us to return.

"What are you going to do now?" Petra asked while peeking over the divider.

"Do you think I'd get caught if I slept here? I could try sleeping with my eyes open..." I suggested in a mumble.

"Could try, but you should wait and see what Levi has to say before that. He may need revisions on that report." She explained carefully.

"Way to kill my mood..." I grumbled, but she was right. Levi may need revisions, as he always does, so I should try to stay awake... For now.

"Sorry, Eren, but it's just a precaution. If it were me, I would let you sleep all day." She said with a bright smile she tried to show by standing on her toes to reveal her face better.

"That's wonderful to hear, but unfortunately, you aren't the boss."

"Fortunately," We heard Aurou say from his office.

"Bite your tongue off." Petra grumbled and sunk back into her chair.

"Oh my, what's got Petra in a bad mood?" I looked over my shoulder to see Hanji leaning on the edge of my divider,  _thankfully_ , without a creepy mask on her face.

"Aurou," I said, plain and simple.

"Oh, okay," She shrugged it off as if it were nothing, because it really was nothing. The two fought enough for us to know and  _learn_  to simply ignore them.

"So what brings you over here?" I spun around in my chair to face her and asked.

"Levi wants to see you," She responded, and her eyebrows wiggled up and down.

"Oh god, mother fudging, son of a pig..." I knew that if I swore, Petra would hear me, and she wasn't one who cared for vulgar language. I find that funny and ironic considering who she was married to for a decade.

"Eren, such a potty mouth." Hanji joked with sarcasm.

"I know; I'm worse than Rivaille." I replied with a smirk of triumph. I could hear her, along with Petra, giggling at the remark as I left to go see what Levi wanted. I really hoped that it didn't have to do with work... Or home... Or either, for that matter.

I was so comfortable relaxing. I wasn't in the mood for being yelled at. I had built up my self-esteem and happiness within the short time span of a few hours, and I didn't want Levi wrecking that, but if that were to be the case, I couldn't help it. All I could do was sit there and take whatever punishment he threw at me.

My head dropped, my chin hitting my color bone in despair as I knocked on Levi's office. A quick reply came from within, and I entered without another thought.

Levi was sitting on his desk, feet swinging with nothing better to do (it wasn't like he was tall enough for his feet to touch the floor), and hands filled with paper work. No doubt that was the paper work I had just sent him.

"Hey, you wanted to see me?" I asked as I entered the room.

"Yeah," He replied, more of a mumble though, and set the paperwork down. "I never actually got the chance to say this, what with my grandparents clinging onto us for hours on end." He said as he leaned back against his desk. "Thank you for all of this." He said.

"Wait," I lifted my head, my eyes glaring daggers at him. "You're thanking me?"

"When people say thank you, that's the general idea of the saying." He retorted.

"You're thanking me?" In a fit of terrible sarcasm, I fell against his couch and clutched at my shirt over my heart. "I'm having a heart attack!" I cried.

"Why do they like you?" He grumbled and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"So they're really enjoying me, huh?" I asked after finishing up my little act.

"Yeah, especially my grandmother; she loves you." He stated, sounding a little bored.

"It's nice to know I'm doing well then." I said. "But who would suspect us after that kiss a few days ag-

"As I was saying before," He interrupted. "Thank you. You're really helping me out here and you're earning your money well." He said.

"Well... You're welcome," I said, still baffled by his words. "And here I was preparing to get yelled at for my report." I rubbed my shoulders as a sign of relief.

"Besides your horrendous grammar and spelling errors, the report itself is fine."

And down went my self-esteem.

"Thanks," I replied quietly. I sighed before turning in my seat to sit on the rim of the couch. "So I'm really doing okay with your grandparents?" I asked.

"Yeah, surprisingly. You should hear how my grandmother talks about you: "Il est très mignon, il est très adorable, Je pense que c'est un très bon acteur..." He continued on with a few more sayings, and all I could do was stare him down in confusion.

"Wow, she loves me!" I exclaimed with more sarcasm.

"She really does. Those were all compliments. She thinks you're adorable and nice."

"Adorable? Nice I can understand, but adorable?" I questioned.

"She's French, what are you gonna do?" He asked and I chuckled to myself. "I don't see it, of course," He added.

"Thanks, my oh so loving wife," I groaned.

"You're the wife." He stated and jumped off of his desk.

"Is there something about me that makes me the wife?" I asked. "Even Mikasa said the same thing." Levi looked over his shoulder for a moment, letting quiet slip between us before he looked back at the paperwork. I heard him mumble something under his breath, but I didn't catch it. "What?"

"Nothing," He said and shook his head.

"No seriously, what is it?"

"Nothing," He said again.

"What is it?" I whined loudly, hoping to annoy him enough into telling me. If I knew one thing about Levi, I knew that he had a lack of patience and didn't like to be annoyed. This I knew  _well._  "Come oooon, tell me! Tell me!"

"I said there's no way you're a top player." He finally admitted, though, not without some annoyance.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"I don't know. It's something about you." He stated.

"Something about me?" I questioned before a knock on Levi's office door pulled us both out of the odd atmosphere.

"Oh Levi," Hanji beamed with her big, goofy, trademark grin.

"What is it, shitty glasses?" Levi asked, his irritation very obvious. It wasn't like he was trying to hide it.

"Oh, such a foul tone," She stated. "Here I was coming to give you good news, and you bark at me." She pouted.

"If Erwin needs something signed, tell him I'll sign it in a fucking minute." Levi growled.

"No, that's not it. Is that what you consider good news?" She asked and placed a finger to her cheek. "How interesting…"

"I consider you leaving me alone the best news of my life." He came back with.

"Fine, I'll leave, but first, I wanted to tell you that your grandparents are here." She stated bluntly, and then left as abruptly as she came in.

"What?" I suddenly jumped up from the couch in utter shock. Levi had the decency to look as shocked as I did for once and immediately ran to his shut door. He opened and peeked through, and after a quiet second, he cursed and slammed his fist into the side of the wall.

"They're here..." He grumbled and shut his door.

"What are they doing here?" I asked, panic rushing through me fast.

"Hell if I know!" He barked.

"Shit, if they start saying things to the others, to Petra- Oh god!" I couldn't fathom any of their reactions, especially Petra's, but I was sure they'd all be bad. I couldn't bear it if she hated me. After all, Petra was the person who helped me the most when I first started working here. She became a close friend to me very quickly, and I couldn't handle it if I lost that relationship with her.

I hid my head down between my hands, trying to hide, though I didn't know what good it would do; it wasn't much cover.

"Eren, stop," Levi commanded. "Just stay here for a second, okay?" He left then, leaving the door cracked open, which I promptly peeked through. I watched him stand for a moment, staring as our friends welcome them with open arms. When Petra entered the picture, his grandparents were ecstatic. They hugged her, kissed her cheek, and she hugged back with just as much vigor.

I hadn't known that they were all still friendly with each other. It was nice to know that, and that it was one last thing I needed to worry about.

"Grand-mère, grand-père!" Petra cheered into the hug. "Tu me manques!"

That one is new, even for me. I had no idea Petra spoke French.

"Petra, Tu es belle, comme d'habitude." Levi's grandmother said.

"Merci," Petra's blush was so vivid that I could see it from where I was hiding.

"Grandma, grandpa," Levi finally stepped in. The two of them offered hugs, to which Levi regretfully gave back, but he was obviously not in the mood for a grand reunion. "What are you doing here? You know I don't like it when you come to my office." Levi stated flatly.

"Well we wanted to bring our little boy some lunch." His grandmother said and gestured to the picnic basket in her lap. "That and we wanted to see how our boys were doing at w-"

"Okay! Let's go have lunch then!" Levi rudely yelled, but he did it to hide their voices and evidence. Levi immediately grabbed at his grandmother's wheelchair and wheeled her into his office, and his grandfather followed at his slow pace. "You should really give me more of a warning before you come here." I heard Levi grumble to his grandmother as they entered the office.

"It was supposed to be a surprise!" His grandmother whined.

"And we are very surprised." I said, completely and utterly exasperated.

"Oh there you are, Eren." She cooed. I walked over to her and hugged her, careful of the picnic basket in her lap. At the same time, Levi helped shuffled his grandfather into the room and shut the door behind them. I distantly heard it lock in place, keeping us safe.

"Seriously, why did you come here?" Levi suddenly interrogated.

"Lunch," His grandmother whined again and held out the picnic basket. I took it from her with a smile and set it down on the coffee table. "We just wanted to take care of our boy's." She pouted again.

"Don't be so mad, Levi. They just wanted to do something nice for us." I said to make her feel better. She smiled up at me and patted my hand.

"Thank you, Eren." She said.

"Don't be so hard on us, Levi." His grandfather scolded.

"I'm sorry, I just... I'm surprised." He admitted with a shrug of the shoulders. "But today wasn't a very good day to do this."

"Why is that?" His grandfather asked as he sat down on the couch.

"... We were working," Levi begrudgingly admitted, though it was so weak and pathetic, even _I_  could do better.

"Well now you're on your lunch break." His grandmother said as she unpacked the basket. "Come, sit, and eat." She instructed. I did as told, because I had a feeling that I shouldn't get on her bad side, hers specifically. Levi let out an irritated sigh as he came over to the couch and sat down next to me. His grandfather sat down in the plush chair across from the couch, and now we were all seated as Levi's grandmother set up the food.

It seemed like she had brought the whole kitchen with her. She had cups, plates, bowls, spoons, forks, and knives, and I don't even know how she made that all fit with the food. It wasn't a relatively big basket. She pulled out a freshly baked role of bread, a bowl filled with salad, and another bowl of cooked chicken slices, and if that didn't make my mouth water, she had a plate of chocolate cake on top, with whipped butterscotch icing. All of this was sitting in this basket with a closed jar filled with cold water. I knew it was cold, because I could see the transpiration slipping down the sides.

"Is this lunch or the last meal of my life?" I asked as she began handing plates to everyone. The question got her to laugh.

"When my grandmother cooks, she goes all out." Levi said, but he sounded tired. He must have been after this surprise.

"I hope you boys like it. I made lots of it, so don't be stingy." She said.

"Don't mind if I do!" I interjected with a hand in the air.

"He'll probably eat most of it. Eren eats like he's been starved of food for weeks on end." Levi said as he began picking away at the salad. I didn't take offense from that; it was true. In fact, I consider it a compliment. I've been told by everyone that I eat like that, but I am more aware of it than anyone else.

"That's good to hear. The boy could stand a little more weight. You're as thin as a bone." His grandfather said and poked at my hand with a fork.

"Which is odd considering how much I eat." I agreed and began shoveling chicken into my mouth.

"Don't do that, dear. You'll choke," His grandmother said. I nodded my head instead of speaking out loud, knowing I may disgust Levi and his grandparents if I talked with my mouth full. I made my own plate of food: Salad sprinkled with chicken, a slice of the bread role smothered in butter, and a cold cup of water.

This was practically heaven. I remembered the days, when my parents were still alive, and I would have picnics at the beach with Mikasa and Armin. This brought back wonderful memories. I only hoped I wouldn't break down and cry in front of them.

"So," I began, trying to derail my thoughts. "Levi, how long has Petra been able to speak French?" I asked.

"She took four years of it in high school with me." Levi said with a piece of bread at his lips.

"Wait, you took French in high school? You're from France, why did you do that?" I asked.

"Because I was sixteen and I wanted an easy grade." He said with a smirk.

"Gee, and now I am wishing I was Spanish." I grumbled. "Would have made my GPA go up."

"You're smart, just lazy, Eren." Levi stated.

"Am not," I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Says your report." He retorted.

"Oh bite me." I scoffed and took a sip of my drink.

"Later," Another trademark smirk of his was on his lips as I choked on my water.

"Levi, not in front of them!" I gasped when I could breathe again. His grandparents laughed, so I guessed that they didn't take any offense in the crude comment their great grandson made.

After that, we talked a lot about everything and anything. I was the one asking the most questions, asking them where they were born, (his grandfather was a military brat and his grandmother was the daughter of a rich man who owned a wine orchard), how they met in school, what they did for jobs, and when they retired. I talked until the food was gone and I had completely exhausted all of the appropriate questions I could ask them. It thrilled them that I was so interested in them, I could tell by the bright glint of happiness in their eyes, something one couldn't fake, and it made me happy to know I was doing my job right.

"Oh my, we've been talking about ourselves now for far too long. Please Eren, tell us about yourself." His grandmother said with a light hearted laugh. I was surprised by the comment, my face making both of his grandparents laugh some more, but I cleared my throat and sat up.

"Oh, okay. Well... Um..." I was at a total loss. "What do you want to know?" I asked.

"Well, what's your family like?" His grandfather asked.

"Oh, uh... Well, I have a sister. She's adopted, but we don't honestly remember that sometimes." I said, trying to avoid all of the hard topics.

"Well where was she from originally?" His grandma asked.

"Japan. After her family moved here, her parents were in a car accident, funny enough on the way to come see my dad. He was a doctor, and her mother had been sick lately." I explained while rubbing the back of my neck in a habit of nervousness.

"How wonderful! And what are your parents like?" His grandmother asked.

Uh oh. This is the topic I didn't want to bridge.

"Uhm... Well, I already said my dad was a doctor, but my mother was a seamstress and waitress. She always worked a lot, but she did it for Mikasa and I." I looked to the floor. I hadn't talked about my family like this for years, maybe even since my parents died.

"Was? Did something happen?" His grandpa asked.

"Yeah, uhm... They were in a car accident when I was seventeen. Drove off a bridge into an icy lake or something like that. It's been a while since I thought about it." I sighed when I felt the tension in the air. I didn't want to bring down the happy atmosphere, but what was I supposed to do? I had to lie, and it wasn't a good one either.

I hated this, hated it so much that it physically hurt, but if I told them what really happened, what would they think of me then? I had to make it seem like a good, well rounded marriage. I wasn't ruining it with the truth.

It was no good.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Eren." His grandmother said softy and leaned across the table to pat my knee. "Death is never an easy thing, especially for family."

"Yeah... But, hey, I still have Mikasa, and now I have Levi." I wrapped an arm around Levi's shoulder, which he promptly responded by lacing his fingers in with mine and kissing my jaw. I didn't mind this kiss, being something so small, but there was something really off about it. It was almost like he was saying sorry to me as well, but silently and in a way that wouldn't blow our cover.

"That's right, and you also have us. We're your family as well, Eren." His grandfather spoke up. Honestly, the statement made me want to cry, for more reasons than one. The first was just the statement itself. Armin used to say that to me when I was down, and I missed him enough as it was, and also, because it was so sweet, so kind, and so thoughtful of them to say that.

That was why I wanted to cry.

I was lying. I was a lying son if a bitch. I lied to Levi's grandparents, I lied to  _Levi._  I wasn't really married to Levi, wasn't really a part of his family, and here they were being so kind to me. I didn't deserve that affection and love.

"Eren, I'd love to meet your sister soon." His grandmother spoke, breaking me from my deep and personal thoughts. "Does she live anywhere nearby?" She asked.

"Yes, not far actually. I was just telling her about you guys. She felt the same way, but she's got public school and a job, so we'll have to set a specific date." I suggested with a smile.

"That'd be lovely." His grandmother cooed. "Could we possibly see some old family photos? I'm very curious to see where you got your looks from." She stated.

"Oh grandmother..." Levi sighed against my shoulder. "Why don't you just barge into his sister's place and look around yourself?"

"It's okay, Levi. I know I'm good looking." I mused and nuzzled my head into his hair.

"Well, I'm more interested in your eyes." His grandmother said. "They're the brightest green I've ever seen."

"Yeah, my friend used to say that they looked like the ocean." I stated.

"That's the color I'm thinking of!" His grandmother suddenly snapped her fingers together, but her skin was so soft that it didn't make a sound. "I couldn't pin the name to the color."

"She's losing her mind..." Levi's grandfather sighed. I chuckled again, and that tense and terrible atmosphere disappeared, and it remained a figment of imagination the rest of the time.

His grandparents didn't stay for much longer, considering we ate dessert rather fast. After that, Levi made sure they fully left the building before finally relaxing, as did I. Besides a few parting words to Hanji and Petra, there was nothing explained between Levi and I's arrangement. They left, and once hidden in the office again, we both collapsed onto his couch with sighs of relief leaving us both.

"Holy fuck..." Levi cursed and rubbed his forehead.

"That was more trouble than it was worth." I mumbled.

"I'm sorry about them. My grandmother knows nothing of privacy or space. Have I mentioned that yet?" He asked. "She used to do this to Petra and I all the time. It was annoying then and it's fucking annoying now." He grumbled angrily.

"They were trying to be nice though. We can't really be mad at them for that." I said with a small chuckle.

"Petra said that every five minutes my grandmother called me on my honeymoon with Petra." Levi groaned. I laughed at that, but with the tone of his voice, I knew he was telling the truth. I couldn't say I was so surprised, however, because she really seemed like the type of person to do that. "Again, I'm sorry. Thank you for putting up with them."

"Oh please. What's life without a few surprises?" I asked with sarcasm, but I was physically and mentally drained of energy after that surprise.

"Well yeah... You were quite a surprise." He mumbled.

"I'm sorry for not saying something better. I knew that, if I lied, they'd see right through it. No point in making them suspicious about anything."

"So it was true then." He made it sound like more of a statement, but I heard the question within the sentence.

"Yep, I'm a fucked up person." I said with a laugh, but I did it again. I lied to him as well.

"Sorry to hear about your parents then." He said. I stood up and patted my pants off from imaginary crumbs.

"It's not that big of a deal. It happened a long time ago, so I'm over it." I sighed.

"Eren," Levi interrupted, and I heard that authority in his voice. I turned back to look at him to see that he'd already stood up, but he's at his desk before I can even take in a breath of air scented with the smell of chicken. "You aren't really twenty-eight years old, Eren; you're twenty. What happened, happened three years ago." He stated rather boldly.

"So...?" I questioned.

"You don't have to act like it doesn't hurt."


	7. The Belt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Mentions of child abuse in this. Sorry. ^^'

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter: 7** **  
** **The Belt** ****  


* * *

"Oh come ooon!" I whined as I pushed at the attic door.

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Levi asked from behind me, and I could just hear his smirk on his lips.

"No, I-It's just a bit..." I paused and rammed my shoulder into the door. The hinges suddenly went loose, as well as the door, which flew open into the attic and left me falling to the dusty floor. The sudden loss of air from the impact had me gasping for air, and when the dust filled my lungs, I choked on it. I heard Levi walk in, and when I looked to him, he'd taken out a tissue to cover his mouth. "Stuck..." I finished while panting.

"God, Jaeger, it's called a maid service." He groaned as he looked around the small attic.

Honestly, it wasn't a real attic. The reason Mikasa and I got our apartment so cheap was because one of the apartments wasn't finished. One of the rooms was just wood floors and nails sticking out of the walls, no windows, and pipes showed. It was meant to be another bedroom with a mini bathroom, but we said it was fine the way it was and took it. We used the room to store things, but since we moved here after our parents died, we haven't opened it since.

"We can't afford a maid, Rivaille." I muttered as I stood up and wiped off my body of the crap load of dust I had on me. "Besides, it's an attic, it's meant to be dusty."

"Shitty attic," He scoffed and kicked at a small box on the floor.

"Hey, be careful! Some of the things in these boxes are breakable!" I informed him. Levi rolled his eyes and walked around in the room to look into the boxes that were open. I could hear him grumbling to himself, stating how he wouldn't be in this shithole if it wasn't for his grandmother wanting pictures of my family. I simply ignored him and started picking away at a box.

We didn't have a lot of photos, and the ones we did have we buried away. It was hard for Mikasa and I to look at the pictures after my family died, so we hid them for a while until we felt we were ready to move on. We never did pull them back out. The only ones out only consisted of my mother, and I had them in my room at the time. Even if I wanted to use those pictures, I couldn't, because in all of those pictures of us, I had some form of injury on me.

Necessarily, I wasn't proud, but they were all I had.

I heard Levi looking around in a box behind me, no doubt hoping to speed up the search for pictures so he could get out of this dirty area. I would normally disagree with him if it weren't for the fact that the dust was making me dizzy and a little tired. Any longer in here and I was sure to faint, so I continued my search.

The first picture I found was of Mikasa, Armin, and I at the park. This was one my father took, and behind us was my mother. She had her arms wrapped around all three of us, a big, large grin on her face. I wanted to use this picture for Levi's grandparents, but then I saw the reason I couldn't. I had a black eye in the picture.

"No good..." I muttered to myself and moved through more pictures. I found two more photos, one of my mother and me in the bathtub when I was five (I was getting the head scrubbing of a life time), and the other was of my dad in the front seat of my his car with me in his lap. He was letting me "pretend" to drive, and I remember adding all sorts of car sounds to make it realistic. Besides the one of me in the bathtub, the one of me in my father's lap worked well.

"Did you find anything yet?" Levi asked irritably.

"Just this one." I held up the picture to show Levi. "Does your grandmother care how many pictures we bring?" I asked.

"No, but I'm sure she's expecting some scrape book shit." He groaned while looking at the picture. "So that's your mom?"

"No, that's my dad." I laughed when I saw the way his eyes widened just a margin. "He just liked long hair."

"Guess you didn't inherit that, did you?" He jokingly asked.

"At first I tried, but I'd be damned if that hair didn't get into my face all of the time. I'm perfectly fine with how my hair is now." I stated, rather proud of myself. I didn't care if my hair was dry and unmanageable. It was out of my face, and that was all I cared for.

"Got any pictures like that?" Levi asked as he looked into the box. Totally bypassing the picture of me naked and in the tub, Levi rummaged around a little more until he found a picture of my father, Mikasa, and I sitting on the couch, watching old Christmas reruns. "What about this one?" He asked.

"Uh..." I took a closer look at the picture, and in that one, I had a black eye too; a black eye and a busted lip.

"Wait..." Levi obviously saw the injuries to me when I did, and I snatched it out of his hands.

"That's not a good one. Let me find one of my mom instead." I insisted and pushed it back into the box. I felt Levi's stare linger on me for a moment before I saw him from the corner of my eyes shrug and walk to another box behind me. I let out an internal sigh when I felt the tension relax from my shoulders.

I continued my search, the talking long since gone. I found three pictures that I considered good. One was just my parents wedding photo. I was four months old, but apparently I had been a quiet mouse the entire time (which I consider odd since I talk too much now). The second was when we painted my and Mikasa's room for the first time. Mikasa and I had argued over colors, and in an attempt to make a resolution (and to shut us up), my mother stuck her hands in both paint buckets and drew all over the walls. The picture was of all of us covered in blue and purple paint and our walls an utter mess of hand prints.

The third and final one was our first day to school. Mikasa and I were walking hand in hand with my dad, and he was walking us up to our school building. I had my thumb in my mouth, a nervous habit I had when I was younger, and Mikasa was her calm, demure self, per the usual. I remembered my mother crying behind the camera too, so I know this picture spoke a lot of words more than it showed. It was a little crumpled at the corners, but I didn't think Levi's grandparents would care.

I heard Levi pulling open some boxes and looking through them, but I didn't think anything of it. The memories, though a bit angst, were nostalgic, and it had me smiling.

"Hey, what's this?" Levi's voice suddenly asked from behind me. I set down the photos I had been holding to look at what Levi was holding, and my breath caught in my throat. He had pulled out a belt from a box, the only thing that had been in that box. It had my blood running cold, startling me to the point where I backed up at the sight of it and knocked over the boxes stacked on top of each other.

"W-Where did you get that?" It was obvious where he got it from, but the question came out anyway, but not without a small stutter as I tried to collect myself.

"It was in this box." Levi pointed down to the box and said. "It was the only thing in there."

"Alright, c-could you put it down now?" I asked, again with another stutter. I was losing my composure fast.

"Why was it the only thing in here? Is it important or something, like, special leather?" He asked as he began to inspect the belt.

"No, n-no, it's not, but please-"

"What's this on the end here?" Levi started picking away at the red crust imbedded into the buckle of the belt; seeing him mess with it made me lose my nerves.

 _"Put it down, Levi!"_  I suddenly barked. Levi immediately stopped as instructed and looked up at me, more surprised than angry at my outburst. Any other time, had I yelled at him, he would have beaten me senseless. Now, however, he could see that I really meant it. He did as told, dropping the belt back into the box without a passing glance, and I felt the rush of guilt hit me.

I just yelled at him for nothing. He didn't do anything wrong and he didn't know any better, and I yelled at him for it.

I was just like  _him._

I burst out of the makeshift attic without another word. I cupped my hand over my mouth to stop any odd sounds from coming out as I paced my way over to the balcony, needing fresh air. As soon as I was outside, I collapsed onto the metal railing, my forehead pressing into the cold railing and my breathing coming out in ragged puffs of air. My body shook furiously with anxiety, and the cold railing did help some, but it wasn't enough. I ended up sinking to my knees, my hands clinging to the poles as lifelines while my legs went to hang over the edge and dangle uselessly.

The guilt was enough, but the fear was still present, as if it were right behind me. I couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to run. The anxiety was crushing me, and I had no idea what to do to make it go away. I knew I was supposed to breathe and release the tension in my muscles, but that was too much to ask for right now.

A couple of minutes went by before I heard Levi shuffle outside. He sat down next to me, copying my sitting position by dangling his legs past the railing, but instead of pressing his forehead into the railing like I was, he leaned back on his hands. A few minutes of just silence went by between us. The only audible sound was me heaving obnoxious gasps of air to calm down.

"Look, it isn't any of my business to know what went on, but maybe if you talk about it, it'll calm you down." He stated flatly and in a bored time. I swallowed thickly, my throat closing tight.

"N-No," I sounded like shit, and I knew I was. "I don't want to bother you..."

"It wouldn't bother me. I couldn't give two shits let alone one." Another bored statement from him, but the bit of annoyance I heard in his voice made me relax a little. It was that bit of normalcy I wanted.

"I'm sorry for biting your head off..." I mumbled dejectedly.

"It's fine. You have your reasons..." After that, more silence fell. This time, the time period was long and boring, but that was okay. In that time, I was able to form coherent thoughts and remembered my tips for my anxiety. I was able to breathe, though my heart still pounded hard within my chest and made it hard to swallow.  
It was like my heart was lodged in my throat, and it didn't want to go back into my chest. Fuck, that feeling sucked massively.

"Feeling any better?" Levi broke the silence by asking.

"Yeah... Yeah, I'm good." I assured with a nod of my head.

"You look as if you want to vomit over this railing." He pointed out. Yeah, I assumed I was pretty pale by now, but some of my color should have started to come back by now.

"Sorry..." I muttered.

"If you're going to vomit, warn me so I can run." He instructed. I laughed a little, but I wasn't at all nauseous, just exhausted. The happenings of today was just too much for someone like me to handle, but even with my tired and dull senses, even with my fried nerves that leave my limps dangling over the railing, I know that I did something wrong. I still have to make it up to Levi, who I so crudely yelled at.

"Sorry, f-for yelling I mean."

"I already said it was fine. You have your reasons after all." He mumbled and looked over the railing when we heard a car honk. I looked down too to see two cars stuck in a T position, one trying to pull out and the other driver being an ass and trying to get into his parking spot. "Some people are such asses." Levi remarked.

I only hum in response, my eyes closing as I listening to the honking below. Those people down there aren't nearly as much of assholes as I am.

"Yeah, that's going to help them a lot." Levi muttered when the one car tried pulling into the space before the other was out.

"My father used to beat me…" I announced, breaking the silence that fell after Levi stopped talking. I could feel his stare on me without even having to look. I could feel the tension in the air, so thick that one could cut it with a knife, and I hated having to make things awkward, but I didn't want him thinking that I freaked over something simple. To me, that belt wasn't  _simple,_  far from it in fact. "W-With the belt I mean… And sometimes his fists…"

"Is that what was on the end of the belt?" He asked without hesitating. I swallowed a thick lump constricting my breathing, but it wasn't enough. If anything, it only seemed to make it harder to breathe. "Your blood…?"

"He didn't use it often." I stated timidly.

"It doesn't matter." He interrupts. "He still hit you with it." I could hear the growl in his voice, and I couldn't help but wonder if he was getting angry about this. What was there to get angry about?

"It was only when I did something wrong."

"It doesn't matter!" The sudden sharpness spooks me into finally looking at him. He seems just as surprised that he snapped as I am, and he immediately looked away with a heavy sigh, his fingers rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"I just didn't want you thinking that I was weird for reacting to something so normal." I mumbled, my head falling in guilt. I hadn't meant for things to turn out this way.

"Is that what you call normal?" He asked, gritting his teeth. "Getting beaten for doing something wrong? What, did you spill milk on the carpet?" He had meant it as a joke, but my silence had answered for him.

Of course I had. I'd colored on the walls and stayed up past my bedtime, all the things normal kids did. I just assumed I had done something more to make my father so mad at me and beat me.

"Eren," He sighed again. "Don't… Think like that. I know what you're thinking, so don't think like that."

"You don't know what I am thinking." I accused.

"Oh really…? You aren't challenging me, are you, Jaeger?" He asked. I simply looked away, my eyes falling to the ground. The confrontation below us had long since settled, leaving things a little quiet. "You're thinking that you did something the other kids your age didn't that made him hit you. You're thinking maybe it was just you."

"Maybe you were the reason. Maybe he didn't like how you handled things, and even when you did something right, just to get his attention, he never seemed to notice, and you assumed that it was something you'd done wrong again." My jaw clenched painfully, my teen biting my bottom lip to keep myself from shouting. "You keep forgetting how old I am, Eren. I've seen shit you would beg the God's to rid the world of. I know exactly what you're thinking, so don't tell me otherwise."

"He apologized later. He didn't mean-"

"It doesn't matter. If he really hated himself for it, he would have never hit you again, but he did, and he'd apologize for that too." I closed my eyes to a painful extent. I really don't like remembering these kinds of things, and having everything shoved right back in my face hurts. Well, hurt is an understatement; I feel like I'm about ready to jump over the railing. "Let me guess; sometimes you did things wrong just so he'd hit you, and then he'd apologize afterwards and do something that would make you feel like you had a real father again."

"He tried…"

"He needed help. If he really wanted to, he would have done it for you."

"He cared about us!"

"So then why didn't he get help?"

"You know, the reason why I apologized to you and told you everything was because I didn't want you thinking I had yelled at you for nothing! I don't need this thrown back at me! I don't need to hear this from someone like you!" I suddenly stood up from the floor, trying to get away from Levi, but he stood up himself and grabbed at my arm. I turned around to yell, but Levi lifted my arm up so my fist was in my face.

"Did he do this too?" He asked, referring to the bite marks along the muscles of my thumb.

"Of course not, I did that!" I pulled my arm free from him, but I felt the need to stand my ground, so I didn't move.

"Why?" He asked. I looked away, my teeth biting my lip again. I really loathed talking about this.

"… Because he said if I ever made a sound, he'd hit me more, so I bit down on my hand to keep quiet." I explained.

"Really…? So why doesn't Mikasa have those kinds of scars?" He suddenly asked.

"What…?"

"He never touched her, did he?" It's the first time in a while I've felt so speechless. I don't want to explain myself anymore, and I don't want to continue this. "Did he…?"

"N-No, but-"

"Why do you think that is?"

"We got paid by the government to take care of Mikasa. If she was hurt, it would be obvious. They'd believe a little girl if she said she was beaten, but not a little boy. My excuse was always that I played too rough with Armin."

"Answer my question, Eren. Why do  _you_  think that is?"

"I just said-"

"Not what you were told to say. Why do you think your father only ever hit  _you?_ "

"Because I did something wrong? I don't know!"

"I'm sure you do, Eren, you just don't want to admit it."

"I don't know!" I couldn't handle the yelling anymore. I tried stomping away, hoping to lock myself into my room, but Levi grabbed at my wrist again and held me in place.

"You don't want to say the answer, but you know it. We both know it; it's painfully obvious. You know that he only ever hit you, that he didn't treat you the same because he didn't care the same for you as he did Mikasa or his wife."

"Stop it, Levi-"

"Eren, believe me, I  _know_  what you're thinking. I know what you thought then and I know what you'll think next. I've seen it too many times to count." Levi pulled on my arm, and without the strength to talk let alone fight back, I fell forward, my head falling against his shoulder. I know this wasn't his original plan, but he asked for it. All I could do was pray I wouldn't cry.

"Eren, he was sick. I'm sure your father loved you, but he wasn't right in the head…"

I felt the tears burning my eyes, and hesitantly I lifted my hands up to touch his sides. I felt him return the touch, his hands pressing into my shoulders. For a moment, I thought he was trying to push me away, and I tied backing up, but his arms wrapped around my shoulders and held me still. I couldn't seem to hold my composer anymore, and tears slipped out of my eyes before I could stop them, and I don't try to hold them back either. I simply kept my head on his shoulder, my nose pressing into his neck a little.

"I-I thought…" My voice cracked, making me stop to fix that, but I felt Levi shake his head.

"I know what you're thinking." He mumbled against my ear. "So you don't have to say anything… You just can't blame yourself."

"It was my fau-"

"Don't." Levi doesn't even let me finish my sentence before he pulled back to look me in the face. His hands pressed against my face, his thumb lingering under my eye where my cheekbone was just to caress it. I don't bother with the details of anything anymore; of how this is odd to be experiencing with someone I barely know, or how I'm a complete and mental wreck in front of my own boss, but none of this matters to me. I grabbed at his hands to keep them in place while he leaned forward and pressed his forehead into mine.

"I'm sorry for yelling…" I mumbled dejectedly.

"I told you, it's fine. How many times do I have to repeat myself before something can finally get through your thick skull?" He asked. I smiled at the sarcasm, happy to know that he was still able to joke with me. Because he was joking with me meant that things were normal, or as normal as normal could be between us, and it would be normal for a little while more.

"No, it's just… I sounded like my father… I yelled at you when you didn't know any better about the belt…"

"There is a big difference between you two." Levi said.

"What do you mean?"

"Eren, you were scared. You've had to grow up defending yourself, and that's what you did. What did your father have to "defend" against a kid?" I couldn't even swallow around this lump in my throat anymore. All I could do was nod my head to show that I understood what he said and then dropped it back onto his shoulder. I heard Levi sigh, almost irritably, before running his fingers through my hair.

I was sure that I had annoyed him, probably to no end; after all, I'd just revealed something about myself that only two other living people knew about me. I must have annoyed him some, even if it was just a little; hell, I'd probably be annoyed, but then again, maybe I wouldn't. If Levi had some deep, dark secret to his past, I'd listen, and no matter what, I'd probably accept it…

Well, probably. It all depends on what happened.

"This is embarrassing..." I mumbled. I couldn't even fathom how stupid I felt for breaking down like this... In front of my  _boss._

"Alright," Levi pushed me off of his shoulder and patted my own as reassuringly as someone like Levi could do. "Get yourself together then. I don't want my grandmother freaking out over how bad you look."

"Do I look that pathetic?" I asked with a small chuckle and a shrug of the shoulders.

"Yeah," He answered simply. "We can say you had an allergic reaction to the dust. She'd believe it."

"What about the pictures?"

"We've got enough. If she asks for more, we'll say they're packed away. Does that sound good?"

"Mhm," Levi walked off, disappearing into the attic where I had left the pictures. I sighed, collecting my thoughts and trying to calm my frantic breathing. It was true that I was utterly pathetic right now, but some of Levi's words worked for me. I felt better, and after holding in all of that pain for three years, even though I didn't get everything off of my chest, it felt like I could breathe better.

Levi was right. Talking had helped a little. I thought about trying that trick with Mikasa, because she had a rather messed up past too. Granted, not as bad as mine, but she did. Maybe she needed to let some stress out too.

"Hey," Levi emerged from the attic, photos in hand as he walked over to me. "These were the only ones you wanted to use, right?" He asked. I nodded and took the photos from him, looking over each one once more.

"Sorry, they got crumpled." I just realized that, in my fit of panic when I saw the belt, I ended up crushing the photos in my hands. I hadn't meant to, but there were a lot of things I hadn't meant to do back there.

"It's nothing. If anything, my grandmother will probably say something about how authentic they are and blah, blah, blah." Levi wandered off again, grabbing his keys off of the coffee table that he had dropped earlier. "Fuck that noise."

"I think it's sweet," I insisted as I followed him.

"You didn't grow up with them, Eren. You wouldn't think it was so sweet had you done so." Again, another mention about Levi's past. It was a snippet, but this time it was different of his first mention of living with his grandparents. This time he said he grew up with them, unlike last time when he said he'd lived with them occasionally. I knew better than to ask questions this time, however, I was left with more questions than answers.

"Hey, wait," I said. Levi looked back at me as he opened the front door.

"What is it?" He asked. I suddenly left him by himself for a moment to grab at one of the pictures on the hutch, the one of us at Christmas. I had bruises in that photo too, all along my arms and one at the corner of my jaw, but I'd make up some story about it. Got into a fight at school, got into an accident with my bike, whatever excuses I used as a kid.

Out of all the pictures I had, this one was,  _by far_ , my most treasured.


	8. Burn the Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, we got shum fluffles coming up. Get your tissues ready. XD

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter 8:**

**Burn the Memories**

* * *

I scanned through the document I was working on, my fingers an inch or two away from continuing my typing on my laptop. With all of the chaos in the past few days, I had completely neglected my school work. I missed two lectures and my report on a faulty case was due tomorrow. My teacher said that, if it wasn't done, I'd be held back.

That was something I  _wasn't_  looking forward too.

I had already gotten yelled at for missing my lectures. I didn't need to be held back, but this project was harder than some of the others. Some of the questions were fine, but having to explain the answers as to what lawyers did right and wrong was my issue. Like speaking your native language, sometimes you don't know how to explain what goes where; you just know how to speak it. This is kind of like that. I know the lawyer did this and that wrong, I just don't know how to put it in words.

Maybe I shouldn't have missed those lectures…

"What are you doing?" I lifted my head, seeing Levi standing against the frame of his bedroom door. He had his arms crossed over his chest, an annoyed look on his face, but that was his usual look. It didn't deter anything for me.

"Ah, j-just homework for school; I have to get this paper in by tomorrow or I'm in trouble." I said and rubbed the back of my neck.

"Sucks to be you." He grumbled and walked into the room. I rolled my eyes and smiled, but he did have a point. This paper had been set up months ago, and I, the lazy ass that I am, set it to the side. Now, as I usually do, I panic about it, make a shitty attempt at it and hand it in after working on it for only a few hours when I should have put months of effort into it.

I know all of this. I do it every time. I panic; I freak out, get it done, and then revel in relaxation. You would  _think_ I would have learned my lesson by now.

"Yeah, but it's my fault. I'll get it done." I said, slightly exasperated.

"So what's it about?" Levi asked while sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"It's a mock case, but we're supposed to identify what the lawyer did wrong in the situation and explain what it was and how to fix the situation." I explained.

"Gross…" Levi made a face to show his disgust towards the subject, and I agree that it's not the best topic to go over. "Do you know those answers yet?"

"Yeah, I know, but I can't figure out how to put it into words." I frowned as I said. "Wanna help me?" I didn't know why I was asking, but ever since his grandparents brought up the idea of Levi helping me, I thought, why not? It was worth giving a shot.

It seemed to work to some degree. Levi leaned over slightly and looked at the bright screen, eyes reading over the prompt my professor had given me. I heard him muttering to himself, quietly reading over the words. I could only make out a few words and phrases, such as, "money solicitations," and "aggregated settlement." Everything else was just a blur.

The prompt itself was three pages long, so I wasn't surprised when Levi took more than a couple of minutes to read it, the time added on for him reading over everything to make sure he had the information correct. And then I heard him say this…

"Well what the fuck kind of situation is that?"

I had to hold back my laughter, because he said it in such a way that made him sound annoyed, disgusted, disturbed, and disappointed all at the same time. I shouldn't have found it as funny as I had.

"The lawyer took money from his client illegally, giving fat ass lies about payments and settlement claims. He  _himself_  should be sentenced to jail time. What the fuck is this shit? Childs play?" This time I couldn't stop the laughter. I fell back onto the pillows of the bed and laughed heavily, my ribs hurting from the excessive laughter.

It had been a while since I laughed this hard.

"You're having issues with this shit, Jaeger? I'm worried for your future." He stated bluntly. I had to calm myself, to stop laughing for five minutes to tell him that I was totally fine with the mock situation and that I knew everything he just said, but I couldn't. I hadn't heard an outburst like that from Levi since…

I hadn't heard an outburst like that from Levi  _at all_.

"I-I know, I just have no idea how to word it." I stuttered through my laughter.

"Exactly like I just said," He informed.

"Cursing and all?" I asked.

"Fuck yes."

"I'm sure my professor will appreciate the extra wording." I sat up from the bed and looked back at the paper I was writing. Yeah, I'd probably be expelled if I put all of Levi's profanities in there.

"There should be extra points added for that." I had gotten used to Levi's sense of humor… If I could call it that. It wasn't that he didn't have one, it just wasn't "well-toned," considering he ever so rarely tried to joke around. It had only been a few days, but it was enough time for me to understand his sparse sense of humor.

"I agree; I am an adult after all. I use that kind of language every day." I said as I typed in a sentence. "What are your grandparents doing?"

"Watching TV." I hummed, and after that, he went quiet. I typed a few more sentences before realizing that he hadn't left. He was still sitting beside me on the bed, and he hadn't bothered to say anything. I thought that he was just going over what I was writing, and it could have been a possibility that he would help, but even when I paused from typing to think up of something, he didn't speak. Finally I looked over my shoulder to look at him. His eyes had been on my screen, and when I stopped and looked at him, he looked up at me.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Levi looked over to the large windows for a moment, and then looked at me from the corner of his eyes. The look was threatening, sending a cold chill up my spine, and I couldn't stop from gulping in fear. "Rivaille…?"

"You wanna go for a drive?" He suddenly asked.

"Huh?"

"A drive. In my car. Do you want to go for a drive in my car?" He bluntly asked. I stared at him for a moment, looked to my laptop, and then looked back at him, as if quietly saying that I was too busy working on my paper to "take a drive." "I want a verbal answer, Eren."

"I-I'm working on my paper." I stuttered.

"Is that a yes or a no?" I had a feeling that, even if I said no, this was another decision I had no choice in picking the answer to.

"I-I guess I could take a break, but how long will it take?" I asked.

"Depends. It shouldn't be long." He mumbled as he stood up.

"Do I need anything on this  _drive?"_  I asked with sarcasm.

"Not really. Bring your phone if you want." He said as he left the room. I followed him with my eyes before I closed my laptop and got off of the bed. I stretched my arms above my head before leaving the room to find Levi in the living room with his grandparents. His grandparents were indeed watching TV, his grandmothers big eyes watching the man on it cook with a voracious attitude.

Now I could see where she learned how to cook so well.

"Grandma, grandpa, Eren and I are going out." Levi said to them while grabbing his keys.

"Stay safe, Levi." His grandmother said, though she was completely distracted by the cooking program on the TV to question where we were going or why we were leaving in the first place.

"Where are you two going?" Levi's grandfather asked.

"Out for a date," Levi muttered before leaving the room.

"I'll be sure to have him back at a reasonable hour." I called out after leaving the room. I heard his grandfather chuckle from the living room, but I couldn't even manage to say goodbye. Levi was pulling me out of the door before I could manage to get my shoes on let alone open my mouth. "H-Hey, Levi, slow down!" I said as he pulled me through the hallway.

Levi then stopped in place, looking back at me with another one of his unreadable looks on his face. He let go of my wrist, and I could see the red indentations he left from holding onto me so hard. He saw it too, and I saw the flash of guilt go across his face.

"Sorry…" He mumbled and started walking again. I followed close behind, though I felt skittish. He was letting off such a terrible aura, and I couldn't help but get the feeling that something was really wrong.

"Rivaille, is something the matter?" I asked, trying to get a good look at his face, but he kept his head down, his bangs hiding his eyes.

"No, I just have a lot on my mind." He said and let out a sigh.

"You shouldn't do that. It'll make your hair fall out." I informed. I saw the barest hint of a smile creep onto his lips before he lifted his head again.

"Shut up," He said. I did as told, staying quiet like he said. I knew not to mess with Levi when he was in a bad mood. To the untrained eye, people would think he was always in a bad mood, because he acted that way a lot, but after being his assistant for a few years, I knew what his mood swings really looked like.

They were not pretty.

I decided against talking after that. Even when we got into his car, even when we drove, I stayed quiet, though the nagging urge to question him was enormous. I thought he said it wouldn't take long, so I assumed that meant maybe five minutes of a drive to wherever it was we were going. I was foolishly mistaken. It was that, or he had a warped sense of time.

By the time we went over the Henry Hudson Bridge, I couldn't keep quiet, or still.

"Rivaille, where are we going?" I asked, well, more liked whined.

"Be patient, brat. We're almost there." He answered. I had a feeling that I wasn't going to get anything better as an answer from him, but I couldn't help breaking the silence with more questions. I was so bored.

"How much longer?"

"About five minutes."

"Is that exactly five minutes?"

"Yeah, just about."

"Are we there yet?"

"Eren." I had to laugh at that. The previous question had just been a joke to make him annoyed, and it did the trick.

"Can we turn some music on at least? It's too quiet." I sighed as I leaned my head against the window.

"I don't have any." He said.

"Do you have a radio?" I asked.

"Yeah," He answered.

"Can I listen to music from there?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I'm driving." I grumbled to myself as I looked out the window. I really did hate the quiet. I didn't mind it every now and then, but if it was too often, my mind wandered and I started thinking about anything and everything. It had been too often now. I didn't watch TV at night anymore, and I didn't bother plugging headphones into my phone and listen to some music to calm my nerves, because I didn't want to wake up Levi. If he had a sleeping problem, the least I could do was let him get good night's sleep.

So now my thoughts continued. Since what happened yesterday, they had been on a rampage. I kept having little flashbacks to my past, to my family, to my  _father._ Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the flash of the leather coming at me. Every time I calmed down, I could smell my mother's home cooked meals and hear Mikasa waking me up for school. When I drifted deeper into those thoughts, I thought back to hanging out with Armin at the park, him reading the numerous amount of books he had to me (I wasn't, and still am not much of a reader).

I would see my mom walking up to us to tell us we were late for dinner, and that Armin needed to go home. Then I would whine and beg for him to stay the night, because we went to the same school, and it was easier that way, because I lived closer than he did. We would walk to school in the mornings and then walk home in the afternoon to shovel through homework, him always finishing faster than me, and then Mikasa telling me I needed to focus more. It inevitably ended up with Armin either helping me through the homework, or letting me copy off of his. Mikasa didn't like it, and Armin said I should learn to take proper notes, but that was life.

That was life. It wasn't the best life, nor was it the worst, but it was my life. It was a life I had been comfortable with.

"Eren!" I jumped in my seat when Levi suddenly yelled my name. I hadn't realized that I had done it again, that I had spaced out for the rest of the drive, but Levi had woken me up with a stern shake to my shoulder and a shout of my name. "Shit, how many times do I have to call your name?" He asked.

"Uhm… S-Sorry, I spaced out." I apologized and rubbed the back of my neck.

"Obviously. Don't do that; it's fucking creepy." He grumbled as he got out of the driver's seat. I shook my head a little, my eyes refocusing to find that we had indeed finally come to a stop. Levi walked around his car to my side and opened the door, his grey eyes falling on me as I unbuckled my seatbelt to get out. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good. I just dozed off, that's all." I explained. Levi didn't seem to like or believe the answer, but, nonetheless, moved out of the way to let me up. I stepped out of the car and looked around to find ourselves in a park. I wasn't aware of which park it was, because I hadn't been in a park since I was a kid, let alone this one; it was beautiful though.

The grounds were nothing but grass and sparse flowers here and there, and the trees were large and tall; I had to bend backwards to see the tops of them. There were a couple of park benches and picnic tables and near those tables and benches were empty fire pits. These were even sparser than the flowers, but it was a nice idea; a warm fire at twilight and a picnic with family.

Leave it to me to create a perfect setting in my head.

"Wow…" I mumbled in astonishment.

"Nice, isn't it?" He muttered from behind me. I walked a few steps forward, the sound of grass under my feet a comforting sound. Living in the city didn't have these kinds of perks.

"How did you find out about this place?" I asked.

"I used to come here a lot when I was younger. I haven't been here in almost fifteen years or so." I looked back at him to see him pulling a pack of cigarettes out from the pocket of his pants. He lit one and took a drag, his eyes glancing around at the area surrounding us before speaking again. "It has changed quite a bit."

"How so?" I asked.

"It used to be a park for kids to play in. Then it just became a small rest stop, but no one ever comes here." He sucked in another huff of smoke and blew out, the smell strong and making my nose scrunch up.

"I didn't know you smoke." I mentioned and leaned against his car like he was doing.

"I don't. I used to, but I don't now."

"So why are you smoking a cigarette?" I glanced at him with a small smirk on my lips.

"I don't know; I felt like having one, I guess… Only one though. I don't feel like wasting my life away on a whole packet." Levi flicked the ashes off of the end of his cigarette before pulling it back to his lips.

"That's good to hear then. It's really bad for you." I stated proudly. Another thing I had been raised to believe was that cigarettes were bad, and that, if I ever touched one, my mother would lock me in my room until I was thirty.

The woman was good at scaring common sense into me.

"It is. I don't even know why I wanted one all of a sudden. I've been clean for years."

"That's good to hear too." I said, a small sigh of relief leaving me. I was happy to hear that he didn't do that kind of stuff; however, he said he had been clean for years, that he used to smoke, but he didn't anymore; the way he said that he was clean made me wonder if he was into anything other than smoking simple cigarettes.

What else had he done when he was younger?

My focus went back to the park around us. The trees were fully in bloom, and so were the flowers, making the scenery look almost movie-like. I'd only ever seen perfect areas like this in movies, but, of course, I didn't travel much to see what else there was in the world. I was sure there were plenty of places in the world, such as the beach, or maybe even a deep forest, but I couldn't say so without seeing it myself.

I heard Levi open the back door to his car, but I was still caught up in the sights around me to care much. I simply took in the sights around me and enjoyed them while I still could. It wasn't until I heard Levi say my name that I turned my attention back to him.

"Yeah…?" I spoke up. Levi's front half was still hidden away behind his car door and inside the car, but I looked in through the window to see him. There was a box on his backseat, a box I hadn't noticed before, but it looked oddly familiar. I wasn't sure why, so I simply ignored it for now. If it was important, I'd find out soon enough.

And soon enough came too soon.

Levi pulled out from his car, his head low to avoid hitting it against the roof. He stepped back, and when he did, the first thing my eyes fell on was the leather object in his hands.

My father's belt.

I fell back onto the ground, the sight of the belt shocking me and sending chills of fear down my spine. Why was it here? Why did Levi have my father's belt? Why did he bring it with him?

"L-Levi, what-"

"Calm down, Eren." He said, his voice quiet and calm. He raised his free hand to me (the cigarette still between his fingers), motioning to me to relax, but I couldn't with that belt in my line of sight.

"Why do you have that, Levi? W-When, where did you get it? I don't-"

"I said calm down, Eren." He said and pulled the belt together to recoil it and make it smaller. That didn't help me either, because my father used to do that just before hitting me with it. He had more control over it when it was shorter and seeing Levi do that made me back away. I didn't care if I got grass or dirt on me; I didn't want to be anywhere near that thing.

Levi seemed to understand on the spot. He knew what he was doing and knew that it was scaring me, and when he realized it, he immediately relaxed his grip so it could hang freely from his hand. This was a little more calming for me, but the sight of the belt, whether it was recoiled or not, still scared me.

"P-Please put it down…" I begged with a stutter. Instead of doing what I asked, Levi carefully stepped away, belt still in hand as he walked over to one of the nearest fire pits. While looking directly into my eyes, Levi tossed the belt down into the mix of broken pieces of wood, twigs, and dry grass. With the belt no longer in his hands, my muscles instantly relaxed and I felt like I could breathe again.

"Better…?" He asked. I nodded, but my muscles were shaking so bad that I wouldn't blame Levi for thinking that I was lying. He walked back over to the car again, slowly so he didn't startle me, and started digging around in the trunk of his car.

"W-What are you doing?" I asked. I wanted to get up and find out myself, but my knees were too wobbly to do that; they were practically knocking into each other. Levi appeared from his trunk again, a red tank filled with gas (I could tell by the obvious smell from it) in his hands. Again, I wanted to move away, but I didn't, simply sitting in the dirt like an idiot while Levi walked back over to the fire pit and poured the whole container into it.

Levi tossed the empty container far away before pulling the cigarette from his mouth; one last inhale before he stepped back again and tossed the lit cigarette into the fire pit. As expected, the gas quickly caught, creating a blaze that spooked even me into moving back, and I was, at least, a meter away. Levi held his arm up when the heat hit him fast before he walked back over to me. I was too stunned into moving, and noticing my dilemma, Levi sat down on the ground next to me and faced the fire to watch it burn away my father's belt. I looked from him to the fire, and then back again, my mind trying to comprehend what he had done. All that was a positive piece of information in my head was the fact that he had just burned a piece of my past into ash.

"Why…?" Was all I could mutter. It didn't make sense in my head, no matter how many times I went over it.

It didn't make sense.

"Because I fucked up." He explained. I shook my head, not able to say that I didn't understand what he meant by that. He looked at me from the corner of his eyes again, and it seemed like he was glaring at me, but the tone of his voice when he spoke again said otherwise. "Eren, tell me something; how many times did I hit you when you did something wrong at work?" He suddenly asked.

"Uh…" My brain still couldn't comprehend anything. The fire was dying down, but it was still large and burning brightly, too brightly for the middle of the day. "What, uh, what do you mean?"

"I mean, whenever you did something wrong, such as mess up a report, sent me the wrong files, or spoke out of place, how often did I hit you?" He asked again. I understood the question, but I didn't know where he was going with this.

"Uhm… Each time I made a mistake, I guess…" I muttered.

"And how many times did you make a mistake, especially in the beginning when I first hired you?" I didn't understand.

"A lot, I think. What are you getting at, Levi?" I finally asked, my thoughts catching up to me.

"I'm sorry," The words seemed to come out of nowhere to me, and it left silence for a few seconds, the only sound being the popping of embers in the fire.

"Huh…?"

"I said I'm sorry." He repeated himself. "I'm sorry for ever doing that to you."

"Uh… T-Thanks, but uh, it never really bugged me." I informed sheepishly.

"Did it now?" Levi inquired. "I always wondered why it was you flinched when I raised a hand, and why you seemed so defensive about the idea of getting hit. I always wondered why it was that your sister hated me so much. I thought she was just being overprotective, but then I realized why she was being that way. I kept hitting you. I abused you just like your father did."

"Whoa, wait, what?" Now I understood. "Levi, you aren't like him at all! I knew the differences!"

"But I enforced what you grew up dealing with. Eren, even if you don't realize it, that's what I did; I enforced it. When you made a mistake, I hit you, and you did your best not to do it again, and it wasn't something worth slapping you over the head for either. They were small mistakes, small mistakes that anyone could make, learn from by simply making that mistake, and never do it again. I slapped you over the head, and you learned through physical abuse. No matter how you fight the situation, it's the same. I did exactly what your father did to you."

"You may not even think anything of it, but it'll always be there in the back of your mind. It's a constant reminder to behave or you'll get hit, and I'm sorry for that, I really am. I wish I had known sooner so I would have never done it to begin with…" Levi finally finished talking, his eyes lingering on the fire for a few more moments before he finally looked at me. I saw something akin to surprise flash in his eyes. "Why are you crying?"

My eyes widened slightly before I reached up to touch my cheeks. Sure enough, my cheeks were drenched with tears, and when I realized this, I broke down. I tried to keep it down, tried to calm down, but it was overflowing, leaving me a sobbing mess. What made it even more embarrassing was that I suddenly fell against Levi, my face hidden at the junction of his neck and shoulder while I sobbed against him. I was glad that he didn't push me away upon contact, even happier that he didn't try to hit me, but what surprised me was when he wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me closer.

I clutched at his shirt tightly as I cried, all of the emotions from years and years of torment suddenly breaking through. I had never done this before, not with my mom, not with Armin, not even with Mikasa who has been with me even after our parents died. I never broke down, never cried. A possible tear here and there, yes, but never cried the way I was now, and it wasn't just a cry of pain. Relief washed over my body like nothing I had ever felt before. All the weight I had felt for my whole existence was suddenly lifting up off of my shoulders.

I couldn't breathe properly, because after minutes of crying, my nose was swollen to the point that I could barely breathe through my  _mouth._  However, I hadn't felt this light and healthy since I was a kid. Levi's soothing touch on my back helped too, his voice so quiet that I hadn't heard it at first. All he was doing though was murmuring soft sounds into my ear while his fingers played with the ends of my hair.

"Hey, it's okay now." He murmured into my ear. I sighed, the initial wave of emotions finally dissipating. I closed my eyes, my eyelids heavy and ready for sleep. I vaguely tried recalling the last time I had cried myself to sleep, but I was a kid, which was all I could remember. There were no specific times or anything like that, which was fine; this could be one of those times. I had no problems falling asleep like this, so long as Levi would let me.

I shifted in place, my neck straining from the previous position. Levi's arms readjusted around me, one hand falling on my waist and the other on the nape of my neck. My cheek pressed against his shoulder, and just as sleep started dragging me away, I heard Levi speak up one more time.

"That belt won't hurt you ever again."


	9. Resemblance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was actually uploaded on Eren's birthday, where the plot had been made months before without the intention of it ever being uploaded on Eren's birthday. It was too ironic. XD  
> Thank you to everyone for all of those awesome comments! Please keep them up so I can learn from it all!

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter: 9** **  
** **Resemblance** ****  


* * *

I woke up to a dim light in my eyes. The sun was barely in the sky, and the curtains were pulled back just enough to let some sunlight in. They just had to be open in the direction I was laying.

I groaned lightly, closed my eyes to block out the light, and snuggled more into the warmth of the bed, savoring it for as long as I could. The sun didn't help me though, and I knew now that I wasn't going to fall back asleep anytime soon. Instead, I simply sighed and ducked my head down, hoping to hide my face in the blankets. It didn't work, because, to my surprise, Levi's head was in the way.

I pulled back a little to see him pressed up against me, his naked chest against mine and his arms trapped between our chests. He was still asleep, which I was completely jealous for, but I couldn't focus on the jealousy. I focused on the way he felt against me, how his bangs were lightly fanned against his forehead and cheeks, how his breath tickled my chest when he breathed out, and how his lips were slightly parted. I could see the slight dampness between them, and, just faintly, I could smell the scent of tea on his breath. This was how close I was to him; so close that I could see the previous lines of stress still present on his skin, so close that I could faintly see his white teeth behind his soft looking lips, so close that our faces were separated by a mere few inches, so close that, if I leaned forward...

... Back the fuck up, Jaeger.

I shouldn't be thinking these things, not about anyone and sure as hell not  _my boss._  It was too early in the morning, and I was tired, so very tired. I blame these odd feelings and emotions on my already odd morning.

Think, Eren, think. What happened yesterday to create this situation? I remember what Levi did for me, and then I remember falling asleep on him. I woke up, and I was even more tired than before. Levi took us home and then... What happened after that? I didn't black out again, did I?

No, I didn't. I remember getting home, having dinner with him and his grandparents, finishing my report on time (with Levi's help, of course), and then going to bed. I had just been so emotional that I was tired, and the rest of the day went by faster than expected. So then how did I get here? I went to bed and...

Oh…

_Shit._

I purposely spooned the hell out of him. I remember that now, clear as day too. When we got into bed, without even thinking about it or against it, I pressed against his back and wrapped my arms around him. I hid my face into the nape of his neck and fell asleep like that.

Why did he let me do that? Why didn't he protest against it? We were supposed to sleep on opposite sides of the bed; his orders exactly, so why did he allow me to spoon him? Why did he let it go that far?

Okay, I need to calm down. I'll wake him up if I start panicking, and I don't want to get into trouble so early in the morning. It's odd enough as it is; I don't need a boot up my ass as well. That'd be a great way to start my day out.

I rolled my eyes at my own mental statement. Levi is right; I really am an idiot. I sighed to calm my frantically beating heart before I looked around the room.

No sign of his grandparents. Obviously he wasn't acting.

I looked back to him again before shifting my arms. I hoped to get my left arm out from under his head; I hoped even more I would do it without waking him up. I shifted an inch, and Levi's eyes twitched in his sleep before he cuddled closer to me, his head falling on my shoulder. His hands curled into fists by his mouth and his brows furrowed slightly, a small murmur leaving his parted lips. I didn't even worry at first that I may have woken him up; I was too dumbstruck by the look of cuteness on his face.

My boss, Rivaille, could look...  _Cute...?_  Fuck, that's messed up...

"Oh Levi…?" There was a knock on the door, followed by his grandmother's voice on the other side. I startled out of my deep thoughts when she spoke, and quickly put my arm back over Levi so she wouldn't suspect anything. Levi didn't wake up as she walked in (I learned that she could walk, but she got easily winded, that's why she had a wheelchair), but I lifted my head as if I had woken up sleep. "Oh, sorry, Eren; I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay," I mumbled with a tired smile and rubbed at my eyes. "I was already awake."

"Usually Levi is awake by this time. He must have been very tired last night." She explained as she walked over to the curtains and opened them. I winced at the bright light of morning flooding into the room and buried my face into Levi's neck, trying to hide. It wasn't much use. "He was never one good for sleep."

"Neither am I," I muttered.

"Sorry for waking you up, honey." His great grandmother said with a pout.

"It's okay. Like I said, I was already awake." I rolled over slightly as his grandmother moved over to my side of the bed and sat down. I winced, because I could hear her poor bones popping in protest. "Why are you awake so early yourself?" I asked.

"I was cooking breakfast." She explained with another one of her heartwarming smiles.

"I'm going to get fat with the way you feed me." I said sarcastically. She giggled before patting my shoulder.

"It's not like you couldn't use a few pounds."

"I eat," I pouted.

"Yes, but not the way you should. Levi used to be the same way, but I knocked that right out of him." She said with a pointed finger in his direction.

"Oh really?" I inquired. "Because, last time I got him lunch, he took three bites of his burger and left the rest for the trash." I sighed. Levi obviously didn't eat right anymore. I could never get him to eat his lunch at work. He always complained that he was "too busy" to eat.

"Well I'll have to teach him how to eat again, but not today. Today is too busy." She said.

"Why, what are we doing today?" I asked. Levi hadn't bothered to mention any plans for today. I thought today was going to be a rather boring day (another day off of work for us) of eating his grandmothers cooking and watching TV.

"Well, Eren, I was hoping to go for a walk today." She said, patting my shoulder again.

"Oh, well, sure. We'll have to wait for Levi to wake up though." I said, pausing to look at Levi when he shifted in place. He wasn't faking sleep, was he?

"Oh no, no, mon bebe. I want to go on a walk with just you." She explained with another smile. I felt an odd tension in the air, as if I knew she was planning something weird. What was she planning? I didn't know, but I knew something was up. She was up to something, and if I questioned Levi about it, I'm sure he'd agree with me.

"Oh... Well I don't see anything against that." I said, gently squeezing Levi's shoulders as I did so. If he was awake, I was secretly telling him to help my sorry ass.

"Wonderful!" She clapped her hands and bounced on the bed effervescently. I was glad to see her happy, but I had the strange feeling that I had no way out of this, no matter what I said. She wasn't going to propose to me too, right? "Well, that will be later in the day. You just relax, and I'll let you know when breakfast is ready." She rubbed my head before leaving the bed and room without another word.

I dropped my head with a heavy sigh, my tense shoulders relaxing. How could I feel so tired after a full night's sleep? Why did I feel so tired after talking to someone? I guess she was just that type of energetic person.

"God fucking damn it." Levi grumbled into my neck. I sat back and craned my neck to look at him. He was definitely awake, and he was also pissed as hell. I've never seen Levi look so angry so early in the morning.

"Good morning," I said and yawned, a reminder that I was tired. Levi didn't say anything. He just sat up, pushing my arms away in the process, and pushed the covers back. I swallowed, tension in the air thick again.

Shit, he was  _pissed,_  but why? What had I done wrong? Was this about last night?

"Morning," He replied curtly after a quiet moment. I felt like that was my queue to shut the hell up, like he was already mentally stabbing me with a butter knife, but I, like I normally do, couldn't keep my mouth shut.

"Um... A-About last night..."

"What about last night?" He looked over his shoulder and asked.

"J-Just uh, that I'm sorry. I don't know why I suddenly did that and... I-I'm sorry, that's all." I kept stuttering and pausing, and I was sure that, that was making him angrier, but I had to get it out. Getting it out was better than saying nothing.

"Thanks," He grumbled and left the bed. This left me alone and still lying in bed, slightly cold from the sudden loss of his body. I watched him practically stomp over to the bathroom, but he didn't bother shutting the door.

What did I do to make him so mad?

"Uhm, Rivaille?" I jumped out of bed and looked into the bathroom. He was washing his face off with cold water, and even then, he looked angry.

"What?" He asked. I choked on my answer when I saw the water dripping off of his face.

Get yourself together, Eren.

"I-I'm sorry, I really am." I apologized again.

"I heard you the first fucking time." He grabbed at a towel while seemingly biting my head off. If the air wasn't so heavy and crushing me, I would have laughed at the mental image of Levi literally biting my head off.

"I know, but you-"

"If you know, then why do you keep apologizing?" He asked while looking directly at me.

"Because you're so angry at me; I really don't know what I did wrong though." I said, looking down at my feet. I couldn't bear to look him in the eye when he was so upset, because I felt like he was mentally beating me up without even trying.

"I'm not angry with you. I'm not even angry." He said and pushed past me to be in his room.

"Could have fooled me..." I mumbled as I followed him.

"Eren, I'm annoyed. I'm irritated." He explained. I tilted my head a little, silently questioning him for more than that. All he did was sigh. "My grandmother knows nothing of personal  _anything_. She used to take "walks" with Petra all the time when they visited, and every time they did that, she'd tell Petra something about myself that I didn't want her to know."

"I kept it a secret for a reason, but my grandmother doesn't get it. She thinks everyone in the world should know about everything in my life and it's annoying as fuck."

"So... You think she has something to tell me?" I hesitantly asked.

"That or she wants to know more about you and pry into your life." Levi then tossed on a clean, white, button-up shirt and then a pair of black jeans.

"I already told her about my parents. What else is there to know?" I asked, following Levi's lead by getting dressed.

"Whatever she wants to know." Levi said while fixing the collar of his shirt.

"Should I tell her no then?" I asked, my fingers trembling at the buttons of my pants. I had kind of been forced into telling Levi what happened with me. I don't regret it, not anymore at least, but I wasn't ready. I'm not ready to share my story with the world either.

Levi sighed, pausing in the middle of buttoning up his shirt.

"Look, you can tell her whatever you want, or rather, whatever you're comfortable with speaking about. Just say no if it gets to be too much, because I know how she is, and sometimes she'll push. She's always kind though, so she won't blatantly force information out of you. She'll stop if you tell her no." Levi looked up from his hands to me while he spoke. "Just... Don't listen to what she says."

He was actually begging me.

* * *

"My pants are about to pop…" I mumbled before holding back a burp. Levi's grandmother laughed happily, dropping a spatula into the sink to wash it.

"Well then my job is done." She informed. I chuckled before looking over to Levi, whose head was down on the table, a cup of tea in one hand, and a bitten piece of toast in the other.

"Glad to see she fed you too." I said. Levi hiccupped before rolling his head and tossing the toast back onto his plate. He groaned, his hand tightening around his mug of tea, the other clutching at his stomach.

"I hate you…" He mumbled under his breath, but I heard him anyway, and I knew what he was referring to. I knew he was talking about this morning and how I told his grandmother that he barely eats. She forced him to eat three plates of breakfast, and they weren't light plates either. They were as full as a plate could be of pancakes, and the something called oeufs benedict, which I didn't think I would enjoy as much as I did, but I'd be damned if I skipped out on it again.

"You love me, and you know it." I said and ran my finger along the bone of his thumb. Levi groaned again, this time trying to turn his head, but to no prevail. I could see his face, however, and he looked pale. Maybe she really had fed him too much. "Are you okay, Levi?" I asked.

"Mhm… Sure…" Again more mumbling; I had a feeling that Levi couldn't possibly speak any louder than that.

"Levi, why don't you come for a walk with Eren and I?" His grandmother suggested with a soft hand to his back.

"No." Came his quick reply.

"Why…? It'll help you digest your food." She informed with a frown.

"You're about to see my food if you make me move." I chucked under my breath at his words. Levi was acting like a stubborn teenager, like a kid who didn't want to clean their room or do the dishes. Being so defiant was something I never thought I would see him act out, but it was rather cute for someone like him.

Cute…

_Get over yourself, Eren._

"Oh well. If that's the case, then let us go, Eren. We can get a healthy walk in ourselves." His great grandmother sighed before getting up onto her boney legs and shuffling out of the room. It was my turn to groan out, my stomach arguing with me when I stood up and stretched my arms over my head. I agreed with her ideas to the walk, but getting up and doing it was easier said than done.

"Alright, let's go then!" I chimed in. "Are you going to be okay by yourself, Levi? Want me to pick you up anything?" I asked.

"No, I'll be okay if I just sit here for a moment…" He murmured. I noticed his grandfather strain his neck, as if trying to hear better. It just occurred to me that be probably didn't get a word of what Levi said when he mumbled like that.

"You sure? I could pick up some fries from a fast food place if you want." I teased.

"I hate you, Eren." I laughed when he said that. He really did sound like a whining teenager.

"I love you too, Levi." I said and bent down to kiss his forehead. I pulled back, and for a split second, I saw his eyes look into mine. He looked upset again, but more worried than angry.

I could only guess why.

I leaned in, this time pressing a kiss to his lips. There was a split second of hesitance before he kissed back, a hand reaching behind my head and fingers carding through my hair. The kiss itself didn't last long, but something lingered when we broke away, something that made me want to kiss him again.

I had to push that feeling away.

After that, I smiled to him and ran my fingers through his bangs, pushing them away. He opened his mouth, as if he was ready to say something, but his grandmother came charging into the room at one inch an hour and started rambling.

"Come, come, Eren! We're burning nightlight!" She said, tugging on my shirt sleeve.

"You mean daylight, grandma." Levi called after us. I laughed again, but when Levi vanished from my sight and we were out of the apartment, a frown fell on my lips. I had a nagging and lingering feeling in the pit of my stomach, something I hadn't felt before, or rather, I hadn't felt in a long time. I knew it, and I could easily say what the feeling was, but I wasn't going to say anything.

I wasn't going to admit it.

* * *

"Ahh, what a beautiful, sunny day," Levi's grandmother hummed with delight as we walked through the nearest park. I watched her try to move faster, but barely so, and within five seconds, she was as tired as I was last night.

"You know, just before you got here, it was nothing but rain for a week. I think you brought the sunshine with you." I informed and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. She giggled and patted my arm, her grey eyes looking around the park with awe and excitement. How in the hell are her and Levi related?

"Oh my, I don't know why Levi complains so much about this city. It is very beautiful." His grandmother said with an airy tone.

"He complains about it here?" I asked, but then immediately regretted it. Don't let her become suspicious about us.

"Yes, at least when he is on the phone with us. Does he not do it with you?" She asked.

"No, but sometimes I hear that when he's on the phone with you. I thought he was complaining about something else." I said and rubbed the back of my neck.

"Oh, I see. Why do you think he complains about it here?" She questioned.

"Well, you've seen a lot of places here, but you haven't seen the entire city. There are a lot of dangerous places here, a lot of crime happens, and it's always busy. It's the city that never sleeps, after all."

"I've never heard about that." She mumbled. I really doubted any of that. How could you not hear of New York City? I don't mean it like it's the best city in the world, because I'm sure it's not, but it is really well talked about, not to mention that it's the sight of the nine-eleven attacks.

I shrugged. It could be true, but I really found it hard to believe.

"Yep. I know Levi doesn't necessarily like it here, and I can agree with him on a few points…" I trailed off. I didn't want to say something like, "We want to move," Because if she talked to him, and he didn't agree,  _I_  would have screwed up big time. "Maybe we can move somewhere better later on." I suggested. Maybe that wouldn't have caused too much trouble.

"What places would you like to go to someday, Eren?" She asked while looking up at me.

"Ah, well, I've never traveled before, and I haven't really thought of any places to go, but I know I really want to go to the beach someday." I admitted with a small smile. I hadn't talked about the beach in years, not since Armin used to live with Mikasa and I, but that was before he went to college.

"Ohh, the beach. Aren't there beaches near here?" She asked.

"Yeah, but I've been too busy to ever go, that and… Well, I promised I would go with a friend of mine. He's the one who put that idea into my head."

"What college has your friend gone to?"

"Harvard," I answered with a smirk.

"A Harvard boy? He must be smart."

"Armin is a genius." I simply replied. "While kids at our age had sex or did drugs, he was reading books. He loved them, and he'd read just about anything. One time, we were so bored on a Saturday; he read the dictionary for entertainment."

"He sounds like a charming,  _young_  man." Levi's grandmother said. There was a split second where something seemed off; the way she said the word young had my blood run cold.

She couldn't have possibly known, could she?

"Yeah, he's great. I haven't seen him for a few weeks now though. Last I heard from him was a phone call, but he's so busy with school. I don't know how he does it."

"Well, it's good to relax every now and again." His grandmother said, and I heard the way she sighed.

"Are you tired?" I asked and stopped walking.

"Just a little winded, that's all." I could hear the way her breathing was a little off, and with some worry, I searched around for the nearest place to sit. To our luck, there was a park bench a few meters away, and we made our way over there. I helped her sit, feeling bad for her when I saw how difficult it was for her to do that. The poor thing wasn't only tired, but could barely walk.

"Maybe we should head back. You should rest." I suggested and placed a hand on her boney knee. I didn't notice it before, but now that I have my hand on her knee, I noticed how thin she was. You wouldn't be able to tell with her big sweater on or her long skirt, but she was unbearably thin. Maybe someone else should be worrying about how much they eat.

"Maybe, but let me rest first. I need to catch my breath." She held a hand up to signal her need for rest, and I nodded, taking a seat by her.

"Of course."

Silence fell after that. Well, not total silence; you could hear the cars in the distance and a few joggers went by, some children laughed and screamed in the background, but that was it. Besides that and his grandmother's heavy breathing, it was quiet. I rubbed a hand on her back in an attempt to help, and after a few minutes, she finally regained her composure.

"Any better?" I asked.

"Yes, I am better." She said with a reassuring smile. This made me smile too. I was glad to know she was okay. She was ninety-eight after all, and you don't hear about ninety-eight year old woman taking walks in New York City.

"Do you want to head back home now?" I asked, tilting my head a little.

"In a moment…" She leaned back against the bench, her head falling against my shoulder in the calm moments. I smiled, but something seemed to click in my head.

Oh my God…

She looked just like Levi.

I didn't think it was anything prominent at first; I had only noticed a few things here and there, such as her eye color or the way she looked when happy (And I barely had anything to compare to Levi since he's never happy), but that was Levi's face, just older.

Levi looked like a girl… I could have fun with that argument.

"Okay," I finally broke the silence. Levi's grandmother opened her eyes to me, looking up with a curious look. "I know you didn't want to just walk, so what else was there?" I asked with a smirk. Her eyes seemed to light up, as if she had been waiting for me to ask that question.

I feel like I just fucked myself over.

"Well, I did have one question for you."

Oh  _shit._

Levi's grandmother sat up, but not without some help from me. I thought, at first, that she planned to stand, so I got down in front of her to help up, but she simply smiled and rubbed my forehead.

"No, no, I'm good." She assured, but she continued sitting.

"So… What's your question then?" I'm on guard and nervous. I'm afraid of what she'll ask, afraid of her judgment, afraid of fucking up a week of hard work and sleeping next to Levi. If this is really it, at least I could say I had fun doing it. Of course, it all depends on what her question is.

"Eren…" She rubbed at my forehead again. "How old are you, really?"

Wait…  _What?_

"Huh?"

"You can't be twenty-eight years old, Eren. Over the phone when Levi told me, I thought it was possible, but I know better now." She winked her old eye at me and poked at my nose, as if I was a child.

"B-But I am." I argued. She smiled again, a sweet, soft smile that was all too knowing.

"Eren, you are too innocent to be twenty eight. You've seen too little, and Levi has seen too much." I'm stuck speechless again, because she's right, but how did she put it together? "Plus, you said so yourself. You have never been to the beach, let alone travel. By twenty eight, people have gone places."

… She put it together by  _that?_  She figured it out by asking me every day questions? That sneaky little… Fuck, Levi was right. What, or rather,  _who_  am I dealing with? I was in  _way_  over my head when I agreed to this.

"I am old, Eren, I've seen more than both of you, and I know a few tricks." I sighed heavily. There was no way I could hide anything from her, not now at least. I just hoped she wouldn't disapprove of me, or worse, cause a scene with Levi. I didn't want any trouble. "So, how old are you?" She asked.

"… I'm twenty." I braced myself for the impact of harsh words, of insults or cursing's, but they never came. Instead, his grandmother pulled my head to her chest and cooed in my ear.

"My poor baby."

This… Was not the reaction I was expecting.

"You… You aren't mad?" I questioned while trying to pull my head back, but for someone so brittle, she had a firm grip on me.

"No, no, I'm not mad. I'm very upset for you." She explained.

"Upset? Upset how?" Was she angry that Levi was "married" to someone with a fourteen year difference?

"My poor baby lost his family at seventeen; it's only been three years." She hugged me tighter. Really? That's what she's upset about? Not that her son married someone who works for him and is twenty years old while he's thirty four. Really?

"I-I'm okay though, it's not that bad." Damn, her grip was tight. "I c-can't breathe."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She quickly let go of me, and I had to suppress myself from suddenly gasping for air. I had to be careful with breathing if I didn't want to offend her. "But it is true. I am very sorry for you, Eren."

"Don't be, it's okay. I've come to terms their deaths." I wasn't very sure of the words myself, and she could tell.

"Eren… What really happened to them?"

"Am I that bad at lying?" The question came fast, even to me.

"You have a little habit when you lie." She informed.

"I do? Wait, what do I do?" I asked, panic rushing over me.

"No, no, I won't say." That's not what I needed to hear. If I did something when I lied, then everything I've been saying goes right past her. For all I knew, she knows that Levi and I aren't really married, that we don't even love each other. How much does she really know? I needed to know what I do so I could stop it from happening.

"I…" I can't even argue.

"So…?"

"Oh… Um…" I looked away, my eyes falling to a dead leaf on the ground. I remembered what Levi told me, that, if I couldn't do it, I could say no, and I did. I wanted to say no, but there was a part of me that didn't want to keep hiding this crap anymore. I couldn't lie, because she'd somehow know I was lying, but what would happen if I said no?

I'd be lying if I said it didn't bug me when I hid my past. It did. I hated lying and I hated hiding it. Maybe now I could say it. She seemed fine with the knowledge of my real age as it was.

"My uh…" I looked up, seeing the expectations in her eyes. Here goes nothing… "My uhm, my mom was the one in the car accident. A drunk driver swerved and hit her… Apparently the paramedics didn't even get to her in time, it all happened so fast. I wasn't there though; it was just what I was told…"

Levi's grandmother held onto my hand, as if encouraging me to continue, and, at the same time, telling me to take my time.

"So… A few weeks after that, well, my father just fell into the worst depression. Mikasa woke me up and showed me this letter, and all it said was "I'm sorry." My father just went missing. I don't know where he went, I don't even know if he's alive or dead. He's just missing…" I sighed, more weight off of my shoulders, but it wasn't over yet.

"My Eren…" She murmured.

"So, at seventeen, Mikasa I were just abandoned. If it wasn't for Armin and his grandfather, we would have been stuck in the foster system."

"And Armin is your friend?" His grandmother asked just to confirm it.

"Yes. They helped us so much. He helped the three of us get our own apartment and got us started." I smiled at the memories, but the bitter sweetness was deflated when I remembered that Armin's grandfather was gone. He passed away when we were nineteen, Armin being eighteen years old, so we had to take care of ourselves for the first time, without anyone even there to give us advice.

There was no one to help us.

"Oh Eren…" Levi's grandmother pulled me in for another hug, but, this time, I hugged back. She rubbed my back, her voice soothing as she whispered soft sayings into my ear. I didn't cry this time, but I could feel the tears biting at me.

"I'm okay, I really am…" I assured quietly. She nodded, a hand pressing to my cheek so I would look at her. She smiled, and I nodded my head. I stepped back, wiping my eyes of the tears burning them, and I felt his grandmother pull on my arm. She was trying to stand, and I helped her up.

"Eren, you are not alone. You have us, your grandfather and I, and your sister. We are your family as well." She said and held my hand. I nodded my head, the information great news to me, but that guilt was in the pit of my stomach.

I was lying.

"Yeah, and I have Levi. I don't know what I would do without him." I said with a sigh of relief. His grandmother's smile had gotten brighter, but I wasn't sure if I should have been scared of that or not.

"You know who you remind me of, Eren?" His grandmother suddenly asked.

"Uh, I dunno. Who?" I wrapped my arm around her shoulder as we began walking again, leaving the park bench for home.

"You remind me of Isabel." She announced. I tilted my head at the name; I didn't know of anyone with that name.

"Isabel, who is that?" I asked. "Someone famous?"

"No, silly, Levi's little sister." She said with a laugh. The words hit me like a ton of bricks. Levi had a sister? A  _little_  sister? And I reminded Levi's great grandmother of her?

This was payback for thinking that Levi looked like a girl, wasn't it?

His grandmother stopped walking, my arm leaving her shoulder when she looked up at me. I wasn't sure how to answer her. Had Levi said that I knew about his little sister? Had Levi told her otherwise? We really weren't ready for this…

"… Did Levi ever tell you about his little sister?" She asked me.

"… N-No, he didn't." I couldn't hide the truth. She knew when I lied anyway; what point is there to hiding it?

"Oh my…" She sighed, her arms crossing over her chest. "It doesn't surprise me. We never heard about Isabel until we got a call from Petra talking about her. He never wants to let anyone in: not us, not Petra, not even  _you_ , and, honestly, I'm surprised you're okay with knowing nothing about him. Did he ever say anything to you about anything he went through?"

"No," I really sucked at this. His grandmother tapped her foot, a pout falling on her face.

"You should know what happened to him, as a child and as he got older." She huffed. Levi was right; she did butt in too much.

"No!" I stopped her before she could say anything about it. The suddenness of it spooked her, but not as much as it did me. "I-I mean… No, don't say anything about it."

"Why? You deserve to know." She stated.

"I know, but… Levi has his reasons for me not knowing." I explained.

"He should trust you, Eren." She sounded angry.

"He does trust me."

"Then why won't he tell you?" She persisted.

"He does trust me, but… I don't think he trusts himself." The words seemed to confuse her. "It doesn't matter how much he trusts me. He could trust me to take a bullet for him, but it wouldn't matter. Obviously, whatever he went through made him hide. He's afraid, and it takes time for things to heal."

"Some people take longer, and maybe that's just him. He trusts me, I know he does, but he isn't comfortable with it himself. We could be married as long as you and your husband have been, and still he won't tell me. It's all about him being comfortable saying it himself, and I won't force it out of him. When he's comfortable,  _if_ he ever is comfortable talking about it with me, then I'll listen, and I'm still going to love him all the same. It's… Something he has to be comfortable with himself."

"He does love me, and he does trust me, but he has to trust himself too, and I don't think he does. In a couple of years, maybe I'll mention tiny things, and maybe he'll be okay with it, but I won't force him into something he's not comfortable with, not now or ever." Comfortable with my speech, I finally realized that I hadn't bothered to breathe at some point during it. It took everything in my power not to gasp for air.

Meanwhile, Levi's grandmother looked positively content. She had a soft smile, her eyes half lidded, as if she were pleased with me. I didn't know why. I was only trying to stop her, just like Levi told me to.

"Eren, you are such a good boy." She said and grabbed my hand. "I knew when I saw you that you would be wonderful for Levi, and I was right." She pulled me alone, again, one inch an hour, as she walked forward. "Now, let's go home. I'm tired."

I am so confused…

* * *

"Alright, alright, I'll try some, but tomorrow, or next week maybe. I can't eat another bite after breakfast." We had finally made it back to Levi's apartment building, and now we were walking down the halls to his place. His grandmother was right next to me, but I had to walk slowly, or else she'd fall far behind, and I do mean _far_  behind.

"I like to cook for you two. It's been so long since I could cook for a family, and "grandpa" can't handle my making so much food. He used to eat like a pig, but he can't do it anymore." She explained.

"I wonder why…" I mumbled to myself. No doubt grandpa couldn't handle the years and years of large, wonderful meals.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" I yipped, my hands digging in my pocket for my keys. I got them out and unlocked the door quickly before she could question me again, but, when getting into the apartment, I found that the whole place was dark. The hallways looked long and terrifying, and the only light was coming from the windows, but even then, it was dim lightly. I couldn't even see where I walked in front of me, and it wasn't like there was a light switch in the stupid hallway (There was, but I had no idea where it was). "Why are the lights off?"

"Did a fuse go?" His grandmother asked from behind me. I thought about that for a moment, but, if that were true, wouldn't the whole building be dark?

"I don't know…" I pushed Levi's grandmother to stand behind me, just in case something was wrong; for example, if there had been a robbery. I couldn't see that happening in a building this fortified with security, but one would never know. I didn't want her getting hurt. "Stay behind me…" I mumbled as we tip toed to the living room. That was where the only light was, so it would have made sense to go there.

I peeked into the room, but it was still too dark to see. I was about to step out more, when I felt a push from behind me. Levi's grandmother had shoved me into the room, and just as I was about to turn back and question what the hell it was she was doing, the lights flickered on.

" _Surprise!"_

Cue the girliest scream to ever come out of me.

"Happy birthday, Eren!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that's right. Isabel and Farlan will be in this fanfic. :3 Along with Kaney. *cough, cough*


	10. Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for the wonderful comments. And I think I understand the kudos thingy-mabober now. Thank you for all of those too! I love those too! Thank you~ ^^

**A Forged Wedding**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:**

**"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter: 10** **  
** **Party** ****  


* * *

I can't say that running out of the apartment with my tail between my legs is one of the proudest moments in my life, especially after the fuss I made about protecting Levi's great grandmother from some creepy old people rapist.

I can't say it, because it would be a lie.

The only thing that stopped me from calling the police was the sound of my sister's voice behind me calling me back with a playful tone to it.

"No, Eren, wait! Come back!" She cried out. I stopped at the doorway, peeking back in to see her standing by Levi and his grandmother. She was smiling and a little giggly, and, to my surprise, so was Levi. Levi's grandmother was a laughing mess, leaving me completely confused.

"What the hell was that for?" I yipped at them, finally gaining the courage to move my legs. No threat, no reason to hide behind the door like a scardy cat.

"You idiot," Levi chastised.

"Eren, come back here and enjoy your party." Mikasa made a lit jog over to me and grabbed at my hand, her smile widening.

"Party...? W-What party?" I asked, being dragged into the living room where Levi's grandfather waited.

"Your birthday party, duh!" She teased. The words were utterly foreign to me.

"Birthday...?"

"Eren, today is your birthday." His grandfather announced as he pointed to the birthday banner hanging on the wall and the, what must be, one hundred balloons floating on the ceiling.

"You forgot about your birthday, didn't you, Eren?" Levi asked while coming to my side and touching my back. I looked down at myself for some ungodly reason.

What, did I have an external calendar on my body where I thought I could check the date?

"Yeah..." Was my pathetic answer. His family and mine laughed, more happy than teasing, as Mikasa and Levi pulled and pushed me over to the cake on the coffee table. I sat down with both of them on either side of me, looking at the colorful frosting and decorative prop balloons on the cake. I looked up to everyone, all of them smiles and happy, and the whole situation was finally catching up to me. "So... You got me out of here so they could set up a party?"

"Yes I did." Levi's grandmother answered, rather proud of herself too. I looked to Mikasa, and it now dawned on me that I haven't seen her in a week.

"Ah, Mikasa," I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and hugged her with everything I had. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, Eren." She said, but it was slightly muffled by my shoulder and the fact that I was choking her.

"Don't I get any love?" Levi suddenly asked behind me. "I'm your husband, after all." I laughed as I stopped hugging Mikasa and turned to hug him instead. Without thinking about it, I kissed Levi's temple, momentarily forgetting that Mikasa was behind me. When I remembered it with a strike of fear, all I heard was Mikasa scoff behind me.

"Gross lovey dovey crap." She mumbled behind me. I laughed at her, but I knew that she would have killed Levi if we weren't trying to put an act together. "Get out of the honeymoon phase already!"

"Why should I when every night is nothing but hot and steamy sex?" Levi asked. My mouth dropped in utter astonishment; had he really just said that out loud in front of his grandparents? In front of my  _sister?_

Mikasa immediately jumped over me to get to Levi, but Levi was quick to leave the couch, careful not to spill any of the wine in his wine glass. He chuckled and smirked at her behavior, but I knew better. I knew she would have really killed him if it weren't for Levi's grandparents in the room.

"Oh my, how rude of me." Levi's grandmother suddenly announced and shuffled closer to us. "Mikasa, it's so lovely to finally meet you." She greeted and held out her hand. Mikasa smiled to her and shook her hand with a firm, but gentle grasp.

"It's wonderful to meet you too. Eren has told me so much about you two." She said.

Levi thinks  _I'm_  the actor? It's a fucking miracle he got her to smile the way she was now.

"Oh, Eren, you never mentioned how beautiful she was. Look at you and your pretty face." His grandmother cooed over her. Mikasa looked away with her cheeks a little flushed at the comment.

Yeah, a definite fucking miracle.

"Thank you," Mikasa said.

"Is that it for introductions?" Levi suddenly asked.

"So pushy," Mikasa mumbled.

"Uhm... I think so, why?" I asked.

"We don't want the cake to spoil." Levi's grandmother said.

"Well that, and we have presents to get to." Levi added.

"You got me presents?" I lit up with surprise.

"Of course we did. Did you think we wouldn't?" His grandfather asked.

"I didn't even remember my own birthday! Of course I didn't!" I practically bounced on the couch out of impatience. I was acting like a child, but I didn't care. I hadn't had a birthday party in years, maybe since I was twelve.

"What do you want to do first, Eren?" His grandfather asked. "Do you want to have some cake, or open presents?"

"Presents," I didn't even need to think twice about it.

"Good answer," Mikasa patted my back and stood.

"Presents are in the dining room." Levi announced and walked to said room. I followed with a practical skip in my step, pulling Mikasa along with me. In the room, on the dining table, was only one present, but, like I said, I hadn't had a birthday party in years. This whole party was a gift in its own.

"You have to open ours first, Eren!" His grandmother said excitedly.

"I'm assuming it's that one." I pointed to the only present on the table. The response was just more excitement on her part as she nodded her head eagerly. I rolled my eyes while taking a seat in one of the chairs. I pulled the present into my lap and inspected it.

It was just shining, blue wrapping paper with a white bow on the corner, but the whole thing itself was a rectangular shape.

"What is it?" I asked while shaking it. No sounds on the inside.

"Open it and find out." His grandfather answered with a toothy grin, his arm wrapping around his wife's shoulder. I did as told, pulling at the wrapping paper with lightning speed to reveal a leather suit case on the inside.

"Wow," I awed at it.

"We thought you could use a really nice one when you become a lawyer." His grandmother explained while holding her husband's hand.

"It's incredible!" I exclaimed.

"It's also expensive, so please be careful with it." She added.

"I will. I can't wait to become a lawyer just so I can walk into the court room with this and feel all badass." While I spoke, I examined the insides of the suitcase: Three pockets for papers and folders, and big enough to carry my laptop if I wanted to bring it along. It was perfect. I hadn't even thought of needing one of these, so I was glad that they thought about it before I did.

"Levi, give Eren your present next." His grandmother instructed with a clap of her hands.

"No," He said.

"Why?" She asked with a pout. I can't lie and say that I didn't pout a little either.

"He can have his later tonight." He said with a smirk. I blushed profusely while pressing my hand into my forehead.

"Just how many glasses of wine have you had already?" I asked.

"This is the second one." He said, motioning to the glass of wine which was already nearly empty.

"Stop there."

"No," He sighed. I scoffed in his direction before looking back to my suitcase and gawking over it.

"I guess that means it's time for my present." Mikasa said and stood up. I nodded and closed my suitcase, excited for my next present, whatever it was. I waited, watching her simply stand there, but after a few seconds, that was it. She just stood there.

"... Yes, you're a wonderful present, Mikasa- Ah!" The suddenness of fingers grabbing at my sides and tickling me had me jumping out of my seat with a loud (and another girly) scream. I was about to shout at Mikasa for doing it, but then I realized that she hadn't moved. Come to think of it, everyone was standing in front of me, smiling and giddy, and they hadn't moved. If they hadn't done it, then who...?

"Oh gee, Eren, you're still ticklish in that spot?" The voice had my heart jump within my chest. It couldn't have been. There was no way. It was impossible.

I turned slowly, and it was true. I was met with that blond hair and those big blue eyes I had grown up with.

"Armin!" I didn't give him the opportunity to even breathe let alone hug me back. I picked him up from under his arms and tossed him around as I myself jumped up and down. I cheered, and I was near tears to think that my childhood friend was actually here on my twenty-first birthday. He really was here.

Last I had talked to him, he said he wasn't going to make it, because he had a huge test on Sunday, today, and then one tomorrow. Back to back tests that were important to him, and yet here he was, in my arms, cheering along with me as I tossed him back and forth. I finally let him go, but I continued to hug him, just to make sure he was really there. When we pulled away, I had to take the opportunity to look him over. I may have talked to him on the phone, and every now again we would chat on the computer, but I hadn't seen him in person since Spring break of last year. He had to save his money to live on his own, so traveling by plane or car was impossible.

Everything about him was still the same though. His eyes held that same hope and happiness, albeit being a little puffy from, what I assumed was, a lack of sleep. His smile was wide, showing off his perfectly straight and white teeth. His hair was still that same, neck length and blond hair I remembered. His skin was a little paler than I remembered, but he always said he never left him room, because he was studying too hard, so I could see how that happened. His height hadn't changed a bit, leaving him a few inches shorter, which I just had to grin at.

The only thing that was different was what he was wearing. His shirt and pants weren't big and puffy hand-me-downs from either I or his grandfather, but new clothes. His white and black shirt was covered by an thin hoodie with short sleeves, open to reveal the shirt. His pants were dark green khakis, and on his feet were white socks and a pair of sneakers that I hadn't given him so he wouldn't have to buy any and save money.

Besides his update in fashion (which was desperately needed for him), he was still the same, old Armin that I remembered an loved.

"I can't believe you're here!" I exclaimed and ruffled his hair. He laughed and patted his hair back into place. That laugh was like music to my ears.

"I can't believe I'm here either." He said. "Mikasa has been on the phone with me for a full week making plans for this."

"Well this is the best present ever. Thank you, Mikasa," I wrapped my arms around Armin and hugged him, and he hugged me back, a small giggle leaving him.

"I thought it would be a great surprise for you, but you've got to thank Levi too. He's the one who got Armin's plane ticket." Mikasa explained. I smiled widely and made my way over to Levi. I pulled him in for a hug, my hands gripping tightly around him.

I couldn't have been happier.

"Yeah, yeah, I love you too, Eren. Now let go of me, brat." Levi said, but he was smiling and happy. I did, but not without one more kiss to his forehead.

One real kiss wasn't bad, was it?

"Forever alone..." I heard Armin mumble from behind me. I broke out laughing. I really had missed him and his sense of humor.

"You aren't the only one, Armin." Mikasa sighed.

"Yeah, but Eren…? I always thought it'd be you to get married first, Mikasa. I-I mean, you have guys and girls drooling at your feet." I rolled my eyes at Armin, not even bothering to retort to his comment as I plopped back down into my chair. I was overwhelmed by so many wonderful emotions. I tried remembering when it was I felt this happy, but I seriously couldn't come up with anything.

I don't think I've ever been this happy.

"Did I not say she was beautiful?" Levi's grandmother insisted.

"Yes you did, and she is." His grandfather commented.

"Okay, I get it." Mikasa said with another blush.

"Mikasa hates gushing," I informed.

"Meanwhile she deserves it. She's too pretty not to hear it." More commenting from Levi's grandmother had Mikasa hiding her face in her hands, and Armin smiled behind her and patted her back.

"Well, now that that's been agreed on, my turn for presents!" Armin clapped his hands in excitement and said. I bounced in my chair in response. "I was  _a-_ actually going to mail this to you since I couldn't be here, but I don't have to do that now, do I?" He asked, and I shook my head, but did he think I really didn't catch that?

"What was that?" I asked.

"What was what?" He tilted his head to the side.

"Your voice cracked."

"No it didn't."

"Yes it did."

"No-"

"Armin has finally hit puberty!" I raised my arms above my head and announced as loud as I could. Armin flushed deeply, nearly dropping an envelope he had pulled from his back pocket.

"Oh God, Eren..." He whined.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry." I apologized with a grin. "Can I have my present now?" I asked and held out my hands.

After rolling his eyes, Armin held up the envelope to me, his smile widening in excitement. Was this a good thing or a bad thing? I took it cautiously, my eyes following him more than the envelope. What was he planning?

"Open it!" He commanded.

"Alright, don't rush me!" I forced a fake yell, which did its job at getting him to laugh. I opened it, pulling out the papers within it, opening them up to read them. There wasn't much to make out of it, because the words themselves were foreign, but two things did stick out.

 _"Caladesi Island State Park,"_  and  _"Airline Ticket."_

"Armin, what is this?" I asked.

"Airplane tickets to a beach in Florida." He announced, his grin practically taking over his face. "My spring break is in April, and that's when we're going."

"... What?" I'm utterly speechless (which has been happening quite frequently), simply staring at him and the tickets in my hands like what was happening was a dream.

"We're going to the beach!" He yipped in excitement, and I smiled at the way he jumped in place.

"Armin... How did you afford this?" I'm still too dazed to even process the information correctly.

"I've been saving ever since I got into college! Fifty dollars every two weeks into my savings account so we could go." Armin stood tall and proud, and I wouldn't blame him for it. I had tried doing that once, but there was always something happening: Cars needed to be fixed, hospital bills needed to be paid, groceries. I could never do it.

"Armin... Th-This is incredible." I finally get enough processed through my head to get up and hug him.

"I knew you'd like it." He mumbled into my ear. "I know I did. I cried when I bought the tickets." I laughed at him, because I knew he wasn't kidding. This had been a dream of ours since our childhood. He gave me the idea, and I promised him we'd go together.

And now it was finally going to happen.

"This all feels so unreal." I pull away, and I just feel the tears building up in my eyes. Don't cry, Eren, not now at least.

"Why is that, honey?" Levi's grandmother asked with a frown.

"Because... I haven't felt this happy in such a long time." I have to keep it together.

"Eren," Armin's hand fell to my shoulder and I looked down at him. "Don't you think it's about time for something to go right in our lives?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. Mikasa grabbed my hand and gave a light tug on it, reassuring and comforting at the same time. Levi did the same, but with my free hand.

Now they're just  _trying_  to get me to cry.

"Yeah... Yeah, you're right." I release a heavy sigh, trying to pull myself together.

"Of course I'm right!" Armin said. "Come on, stop being such a downer! I'm here, your grandparents are here, you're happily married, I am alone, but that does not matter; let's eat some cake and party!"

"Yes, let's have some cake!" His grandfather joined in on the cheering.

"Right!" Party now, cry later. "Bring me my cake, I want some cake!" Mikasa rolled her eyes and left the room, but not without a pat to my shoulder. When she came back, she had already lit the candles, illuminating the cake and the area around it.

And then everyone began to sing. I sat in my chair as the cake was placed in front of me, listening to everyone sing. Distantly I recognized a bright flash; either Armin or Mikasa just took a picture, but I don't care. When they finished singing, Levi told me to make a wish, and I did. I blew them out, and everyone clapped.

"What did you wish for, Eren?" Armin asked.

"I'll never tell."

* * *

Finally alone and on the balcony, I breathed out a sigh of relief. Mikasa and Armin did the same, but I was the only one who fell onto my knees by the railing.

"Tired, Eren?" Armin asked with a chuckle. I nodded, my eyes half lidded and lazy. I was tired.

"Yeah, pretty tired. Today has been so overwhelming."

"Overwhelming for  _you?_  I'm gone for a year and you're twenty nine and married to your boss!" Armin exclaimed. "How was today overwhelming for you?" I broke out laughing, which was broken when Mikasa mumbled.

"What a beautiful night." She mused quietly. Armin and I looked out at the city, and this was why I liked the city. At night, it was beautiful. The only setback was that you couldn't see the stars.

"I forgot how busy this city was." Armin mumbled as he leaned against the railing.

"College life isn't as bad as this?" Mikasa asked and joined him.

"I don't know. I spend my time studying, and I don't go out to parties. Like I said, forever alone." He sighed, resting his cheek in his palm. "You two are my only real friends."

"Awe, come on, Armin. What about your room mate?" I asked and stood up.

"Got expelled." Too quick of an answer. The quiet that followed was a little odd, but after a moment of silence, Mikasa spoke up.

"... How  _awkward."_  The two of us laughed at her. Mikasa may have been quiet, but there were times, though rare, where she could say the wildest or funniest of things and get a whole room laughing. It must have been funnier, because she was so quiet.

More silence followed after that, but there were no complaints. It was content silence, silence we were used to. It was a time to reflect on things, good or bad, and, right now, what bad was there to focus on?

"Gosh..." Armin sighed. "When was the last time it was just us?" I looked over to him, a small, weak smile on my lips. I really didn't remember. "Just the three of us, by ourselves and all on our own...?"

"It's been a while." Mikasa mumbled softly.

"A few years..." I added.

"A few years..." Armin mused. "We're getting old..." I chuckled, because it was true.

"We are indeed." Mikasa said again in her usual soft tone. Armin leaned over and dropped his head on me, his bangs falling slightly into his face.

"I missed this... I missed my family..." I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and nudged him closer, getting him to smile.

"We missed you too."

"Just hang in there, Armin. Spring break is almost here, and then you and Eren are off to Florida to spend time at the beach." Mikasa assured.

"I still think you should come, Mikasa." Mikasa shook her head and raised her arms up.

"No, while I would enjoy it, that's your dream. I'll leave you two to enjoy it." She assured. The patio door behind us opened, Levi's grandfather behind it with a glass of wine in his hand.

"Oh Mikasa, grandma wanted to ask you something." He said. Mikasa nodded her head, giving a small wave to us before walking back inside. The door shut, and, while I looked away, I noticed Armin's eyes still lingering on the doorway. I smirked at him.

"Don't trip over your drool, Armin." I scoffed.

"I-I'm  _not_  drooling!" He yipped in embarrassment, his voice cracking again and his cheeks flushing.

"Oh come on, you were so checking her out."

"Eren...!" He whined and dipped his head into my shoulder to hide his red face. I laughed, but it wasn't at all at him. He was just too adorable to not laugh at.

"When are you going to tell her?" I asked. Armin lifted his head, his hand wiping at his cheeks in a failed attempt to get rid of the redness. Obviously it didn't help.

"Never."

"You can't go through life pining after someone without at least trying."

"You do remember what happened the first time I told someone I had a crush on them, don't you?" Armin asked while wiggling his eyebrows.

"Yeah, I do... Wait, you got over me?" I asked and was rewarded with a playful shove to my shoulder.

"Come on, Eren, stop teasing me."

"Sorry," I rubbed at my shoulder. "But I really do think you should tell her."

"It isn't enough for you that I'm socially awkward, is it?" He grumbled. "I'm not going to tell her. It's a crush, so it'll go away."

"You've been in love with Mikasa since we were fourteen.  _Fourteen,_  Armin. That's six years. It's not a crush; you're in love with her."

"Fine, I love her, but that doesn't mean I'll jump on the roof and shout it from the roof tops-" The door behind us opened again, but this time, it was Levi behind us. He shut the door behind him and joined us by the railing.

"You aren't stealing my wife, are you, Arlert?" Levi asked with a smirk.

"Haha, so funny, Levi." I said, annoyed by him. Armin giggled by my side, and I was reminded of him and his separate ideas on things. "Armin, tell me, if we were really together, who'd be the wife in the relationship?" I asked.

"Oh my God, Eren!" Armin broke out into a fit of laughter. Levi simply tutted and rolled his eyes.

"I'm being serious! Everyone thinks I'm the wife, but I know you always look at things from every angle, so what do you think?" I asked. Armin was still in a fit of giggles, but when he looked at the both of us, I realized that he was actually thinking about it. Good. Let's get some actual answers going.

"Well…" He drawled out. "… I can see Levi being the wife easy."

 _"What...?"_  Levi was actually surprised while I felt the rush of victory on my side.

"Well, you're older, Levi, and Eren is a young, innocent virgin-" Fuck, Armin, why? "So, it makes sense that you wouldn't want to take advantage of him. At the same time, you  _are_  older, and Eren said you've been married once before. So you have experience under your belt and... That was a really bad pun..." Armin dropped his head down onto the railing with a groan.

"Smart kid," Levi said and I laughed. Armin rolled his head by me, and that cute face he pulled had me feel guilty for getting angry at him. I wasn't even aware if he did it on purpose, or if he was even aware he did it, but it sure did its job. "Keep up the studying. It'll get you places."

"Oh, that reminds me," What Levi had said made me think of something I didn't even care for at first. "Armin, how long are you here for? I mean, is it only for today?" Unfortunately he nodded his head.

"Yeah, my plane leaves at ten forty-five. I still have that test tomorrow." He grumbled and dropped his head back on the railing.

"That sucks..." I sighed.

"It's really does. I wish I could stay longer." His voice cracked again, as if he was hitting one of those odd puberty moments, but I knew better. His voice cracked, because he was trying not to cry.

"Hey, it doesn't matter. The fact that you're here now is more to me than anything." I squeezed his shoulder, and Armin looked up at me with one of those smiles that was just Armin.

"Yeah, you're right."

"Did I walk in on a fucking therapy session?" Levi's sudden outburst made me remember that he was still out here with us in the first place, and it had me blushing. People easily mistook Armin and I as more than friends; we were really close and we did things most friends didn't, but that couldn't have been further from the truth. We were childhood friends, brothers really, and that was all. I knew Armin had a crush on me when we were kids, but I understood why.

I was his only friend for years, and I stepped in on many situations where bullies had him pinned into a corner. I got beat up for him, and I still would, honestly. So it made sense for him to have a crush on me, but, like he said, it went away, which led to him seeing Mikasa in a whole new light. After that, that brief crush was gone, and I was fine with that.

"Yes, you did. We have hidden cameras everywhere." Armin retorted.

"What are you doing out here anyway?" I asked Levi. "Is Mikasa bothering you?"

"No, it's my grandparents." He grumbled. "There's only so much of them I can handle before I slit my throat."

"You married _that?"_  Armin asked and pointed his thumb to Levi. Levi rolled his eyes in ignorance, but I laughed. I really had missed him.

"Relax, brat, it's not real."

"It'd be funny if it were though." Armin playfully shoved at my shoulder. "I'm gone for college, and the next thing I know, Eren is nine years older and married! What next, a couple of kids?"

"Haha, you're so funny!" I grabbed at Armin's head and pulled it against my chest, effectively muffling his screams as I gave him the worst noogie I could make. Childhood all over again.

"You act like a bunch of kids." Levi mumbled, but we still heard it, even over Armin's screams.

"We are kids!" He hollered against my shoulder.

"We can't help it," I argued, feeling a little guilt. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize. I never said there was anything wrong with it." Levi shrugged his shoulders and sipped on his wine.

"Nothing is wrong with it!" Armin yanked his head from my grip and gasped, but not without a playful shove. "But, I gotta ask; your great grandmother had been looking at me all night. Did I do or say something wrong?" He asked while putting his hair back into place.

"No, she's just trying to figure out why you look like a girl." Levi's bored and flat statement had me laughing, because he said it like an everyday comment, and, per the usual, Armin groaned and dropped his head on my shoulder.

"I know, I know! It's the story of my life!"

"What's even worse is that you look like Christa." I stated teasingly, trying to get out the last of my laughter.

"I know..." The knowledge was just killing him. The door opened behind us again, and Mikasa stood behind us with a glass of water in her hands.

"Armin, grandma has a question for you." She said with a smile, handing the glass to him.

"Thanks," He said. With a quick wave to me, he went back inside, and Mikasa followed, closing the door behind her. This left just Levi and I alone, but I was okay with that. After tonight, I honestly didn't think I could ever have negative feelings towards Levi again.

I looked back to my friends and family inside. Mikasa and Levi's grandfather were laughing, his grandmother had a smile filled with curiosity on her face, and Armin seemed downtrodden. She hadn't really asked him, had she?

... She probably did.

"Here," I felt a tap of something cold on my shoulder, followed by Levi's voice. I looked back to him to see him holding up a can of beer, motioning for me to take it.

"Levi, I can't drink that. I'm underage," I said, pushing the can away.

"You're twenty one today, aren't you?" He asked. I looked down for a moment, remembering that, yes, today was indeed my twenty-first birthday. "You're allowed to drink until your heart is content. I thought you might be curious, and I'd rather have you drink in front of me where I can monitor you than at a bar." I took the cold can from him skeptically, my eyes reading the label on it.

"Thanks..." I mumbled.

"You don't have to drink it, brat. I'm just offering. If you don't want it, say so and I'll get rid of it."

"No, that's okay." I assured and popped the can open. I was indeed curious, and Levi had a point, a very good point. He watched me with eyes that simply dared me to, as if knowing I wouldn't like it or would chicken out at the last second. I lifted it and smelled the liquid, and I have to say, it didn't smell all that good.

"Well...?" He urged. I clicked my tongue before taking a big gulp.

Really dumb idea on my part. It tasted terrible, and Levi could tell by the look on my face that it did. I tried to swallow it, but when that proved fruitless, I simply choked and spat it out over the railing, simultaneously sounding like a gagged cat.

"I'm sorry to whoever I spit on..." I grumbled with a hoarse tone.

"I didn't think that would happen." Levi said.

"Neither did I. Why did you give that to me?"

"I thought young people liked the harder things. I guess I was wrong."

"Very..." I rolled my head around in my hands as I spoke. The beer tasted terrible, but it left an odd buzz in my head, something very foreign and unpleasant.

"Here, try this instead." Levi offered his wine glass to me instead of the beer. I made a face at it, refusing it instantly. "It's wine, Eren, not beer. It's softer," After his explanation, I took it, but not without hesitating. I looked it over, twirling the glass to make the wine spin and examining what it did. "It's not poison."

"Sorry," I finally got over my fear (the fear of getting smacked by Levi worse) and sipped on it just as he had. To my surprise, it tasted just as he said; softer. "Oh..."

"Better...?" Levi asked.

"Yeah, much. It isn't as harsh as the beer. It tastes sweeter too, like..." What was it, it tasted like?

"Grapes?" He asked.

"Yeah, that's it." I sipped on it one more time before handing the glass over to him. Levi took it back without another word.

The wine settled in my stomach a lot better than the beer. It was definitely better, but that buzz was still there from the previous drink. Maybe I had a really low tolerance for alcohol and I was drunk? That would make for a fun night.

"He seems like a good kid." Levi suddenly said out of the blue. I knew Levi wasn't much of a talker, so when he spoke up, it honestly surprised.

"Armin...? Yeah, he really is." I said.

"Smart too."

"You're just happy he thinks I'm the wife." Levi rolled his eyes at me.

"You are, so suck it up and embrace it."

"Right, I'll do that tonight for my present." I said with a chuckle and looked over the city.

"That would be difficult for sure." Levi's voice was quiet, but it still reached my ears. I looked over to him, watching for any changes in his expression. None. Why was that a surprise? It definitely shouldn't have been.

"Wait... Y-You weren't being serious, were you?" I blushed from ear to ear as I asked.

"Of course not!" Levi deadpanned. "You really thought I'd take your fucking virginity?"

"Yes. I-I mean no! I mean, I didn't at first, but then you-"

"Shut up, Eren."

"Thank you." I dropped my head back into my hands to hide my face. That couldn't have been any more embarrassing unless I actually asked him to take my virginity from me.

"Eren," Levi sighed. "When I said you'd get a present later tonight, I meant a real, tangible present, not sex." He explained and set his empty cup down on the glass table beside him.

"So... You actually got me something?" I lifted my head, a little surprised by this new information.

"Of course I did. Come on," Levi motioned for me to follow him and I did, walking back into the apartment. The conversation from my family went as followed:

"No, it just grows fast." Grumbled Armin.

"So then why don't you cut it?" Levi's grandmother interrogated.

"I do," Armin whined while fingering his hair.

"I mean cut it shorter."

"I-I don't know. I don't look good with hair as short as Eren's."

"You look more like a girl the shorter your hair is." Mikasa said calmly.

"M-Mikasa! That's not true!"

I smiled over to them as I followed Levi down the hallway and to his room. He shut the door behind us, and silence fell over us quickly. I wasn't aware of how thick these walls were until the sound of Armin's whining and Mikasa's laughing disappeared. I watched as Levi walked over to his closet, opened it, and pulled out a thin, rectangular shaped package.

"I thought you were kidding." I mumbled. Levi handed me the present, his face completely void if any emotion as he did so.

"I wouldn't kid about something like this." He said. I looked at the package, trying to figure out what it was by the shape, but I couldn't figure it out. "Before you open it-" Levi's hand stopped me just as my nails dug into the wrapping paper. "Just know that the reason I chose to give it to you now was because you'd either kill me or cry."

"Is it something that would upset me?" I asked.

"Concerning you...? Yeah, most likely." His answer made me more afraid to open it. I did, but it was slow, unlike when I opened his grandparents present to me. I pulled slowly, carefully revealing a picture frame underneath it. The picture framed was a picture of my father and I.

I remembered when we got this picture. We had successfully completed the task of building a tree house, a tree house my mother called a death trap (I would completely agree with her). The tree house was in the background, leaving me and my father the subject of the picture. It was one of those pictures that depicted the rare moments when my father actually treated me like his son. In the photo, I was sitting on his knee (at the time, I was eight), my arms around his neck and his arms hugging me in the cold weather. We were both smiling and happy, and that tree house was like the best gift I had ever gotten with him. It wasn't the tree house itself, but the time we put into it. Of course it was both a special moment and a special photo.

But there was something bothering me. I never saw the picture when we went through my attic. I thought I'd gotten rid of it, thinking the situation false and ignorant. How did he get a hold of it?

"Mikasa had it." I hadn't realized that I gave Levi a questioning gaze until he spoke up. "I said I'd have it blown up and framed."

"... Levi..." I didn't give him the chance to push me away. I pulled him into my chest for a hug, picture frame carefully placed on the bed so I could properly squeeze the ever living hell out of him.

And he hugged me back. With his nose pressed into my collar bone, his arms around my shoulders, my hands on the small of his back, and my mouth against his ear, we stayed that way.

Silence, but it wasn't at all uncomfortable or awkward. At least it wasn't to me.

"Is it okay then?" Levi asked in a small, weak whisper by my ear.

"Yes, it's more than okay…" I nodded my head. I felt tears slipping past my eyelids again, and I felt guilty for crying, but Levi pulled back and wiped my cheeks from the tears. "You were right." I joked. He nodded, not seeming like he was in a joking mood.

"Do you hate me, Eren?" He suddenly asked. The question caught me off guard in more ways than one. I hadn't expected a question, let alone one like that.

"What...?" How could he be so stupid? "Levi... Everything... Everything tonight, it's all added up to be the best birthday I've ever had. I've never had such a wonderful party let alone be this happy, so I could never hate you."

There was a glint of something in his eyes, dare I say, relief. Was he happy to know that I didn't, and never could hate him?

"That's good then," He sighed.

"Levi," I cupped his cheeks in my hands, making sure he had his eyes on me. "Thank you..."

And I moved forward…

"Oh Eren darling!" Levi's grandmother suddenly burst though the bedroom door, a camera in her hand, though she wasn't taking pictures. I pushed Levi away in fear of being caught, but the devilish gleam in her eyes and the smirk on her lips (another thing Levi obviously inherited) proved that she had, and I wasn't fast enough.

"Grand-mère!" Levi shouted at her, but she wasn't at all deterred by his yelling. "laissez-nous tranquilles s'il vous plaît!"

"Pictures, we must take pictures!" She waved the camera around in her hands before turning away and waddling out of the room. The quiet this time was awkward, and instead of simply saying an apology or thanking him again for my present, I paced myself out of the room.

I had a hand against my lips, as if trying to shake off what just happened, but it happened.

Fuck, what was I thinking? Not just in general, but about my boss?  _About Levi?_  No, no. None of it was right.

I was drunk. I had to be, because I nearly acted out the sinful thoughts in my head.

I almost kissed him.

"Eren, come on now!" Levi's grandmother shook me out of my thoughts, making me jump in place. I looked over to the others, finding them already trying to pose. Mikasa had an arm around Armin's body, her hand resting on his waist, and he couldn't have blushed anymore unless you pumped more blood into him. Despite the embarrassment, he had his arm around her too, his hand shaking on her hips, which I was positive was going to make him faint any minute now. Levi's grandfather was behind them, hands on both of their shoulders and smiling widely, showing off his crooked teeth. His grandmother was setting the up camera, her excitement making her more jumpy than usual.

Levi walked past me and over to them, a fake smile on his lips as he joined them. Levi's grandfather ruffled his hair, making him whine and try to fix it. Mikasa was quite happy with this, her smirk just saying so, and Armin was just laughing at the two of them. I smiled, the sight both funny and relaxing. It was a sight like this you'd see on TV, a sight you'd think would be fake and a false accusation about the real world and how cruel it really was, but it was here in front of me. It was tangible, a few feet away, and it was for me.

"Eren, come on." Mikasa urged and held out her hand. I nodded, my smile widening as I stepped in front of the camera. Levi pulled me against him and I wrapped my arm around his shoulder, pretending that what just happened and the thoughts I experienced never happened. Our fingers linked together, and I couldn't help but look at him and everyone else.

I knew it was fake...

This family wasn't real...

But was it really so bad to want it for once?


	11. Gratifying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ask that you please remove any and all objects that can be used for violence fifty meters away from you before you read this chapter. Why? Well because I don't want you throwing them at me. XD

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter: 11** **  
** **Gratifying** ****  


* * *

All had fallen quiet after his grandparents went to bed. Mikasa had parted reluctantly, but did all the same, kissing my cheek and telling me to take care of myself. Armin had given me a hug, and I was barely able to let go of him. I wasn't ready to say goodbye again, but I knew I couldn't keep him to myself forever. I eventually let him go and ruffled his blond once more hair before he left. Once gone, Levi helped his own family to bed while I cleaned up the dishes left behind from the birthday dinner.

I smiled to myself while putting them in the sink filled with water. Besides the little incident and thoughts that occurred after it, the rest of the night went just fine. We hugged, we kissed, he laughed, we laughed so hard that we cried, and for a night, just one, I felt as if I had one of those families I always saw on TV. I know that that's not something I should get used to, but being surrounded by my family was... Nice.

It was such a change of pace from the usual TV dinner in front of a TV with Mikasa. We didn't talk much and it was normally about work or school, but this wasn't like that. We were all smiling, laughing, chatting up one another, and having a good time. It reminded me of when Mikasa, Armin, and I were first on our own and we did everything we could to make each other feel better. With all of what happened, how it played out, and how inevitably close I had become to his family, I came to enjoy it without the worry of guilt.

I used to think that it was wrong to play married to Levi, but I was getting used to it. It was so sweet of his grandparents to accept me so kindly into their family.

It made all the more difficult when I knew I was lying, but I knew I had to. So long as they didn't know the truth, then everything was okay. I wasn't sure; however, if Levi's grandmother had put the pieces together yet, for she was a lot sharper then she continuously let herself be perceived as. Honestly, I didn't care if she did though. I was fine with it, so long as they continued to treat me like a part of their family.

Because, somewhere in the back of my mind, I didn't want this to end.

"Eren," I turned my head when hearing Levi call my name. He was standing by the doorframe to the kitchen, a hand gingerly pressed against the wood while his eyes burned holes into my head.

"Hey," I said rather quietly. My voice was still rough from all of the laughing I did, but I also didn't want to be too loud and wake up his grandparents. "Are you grandparents tucked in?"

"They're in bed and grandma is already out cold." Levi replied, his voice rather quiet itself. I don't think I've ever heard Levi talk so much, let alone laugh so hard. Even if it was small chuckles and half-hearted laughs, it was more than I had ever heard him do in my time knowing him. His throat must ache from the exercise.

"That's good. They looked really tired." I said and laughed quietly. I dried my hands on a kitchen towel while Levi walked into the room and leaned against the counter next to me. He seemed to stare off into space for a moment, looking at particularly nothing while I stared down at his smaller form. He'd gone quiet, and something told me (possibly his posture) that I should leave it at that, but I couldn't. There was something I needed to say.

"Hey, Rivaille..." I murmured.

"Hm...?" He hummed and looked up at me. His eyes were slightly glazed over with fog, and I knew that was probably a mixture of the five glasses of wine he had earlier and sleep deprivation.

"Thank you... For tonight I mean... Thank you for going to all of that trouble." I said while staring into his eyes. I didn't care if he was drunk or tired; I needed him to hear me and understand how grateful I was for tonight.

"Oh... Yeah..." He slurred and looked away. I stepped away from the counter to face him, to make sure I had his undivided attention.

"I mean it. You didn't have to do that, but you went and celebrated my birthday anyway." I smiled when I saw the hint of pink in his normally pale cheeks. "That was really sweet..."

"I thought it'd make things more believable. Besides, my grandmother loves birthdays. When I told her, it was her idea." He explained. I smirked when he looked away. He just lied to me, didn't he?

"And whose idea was it to invite my sister and Armin?" I asked. "Last I checked, they didn't know about Armin, and Armin said Mikasa had been planning this for a week." Levi swallowed rather noisily and pushed past me to make his way to the living room. I followed close behind; I wasn't letting him off the hook that easily.

"I-It's your twenty-first birthday, Eren. Days like that are special. I knew they'd want to be here." He plopped down onto the couch so he could rest his weary bones, and I sat down too, but not as reckless.

"Normally that's a good thing, but this is Mikasa Ackerman we're talking about, my sister nonetheless. For this subject, it's easy to say that you risked your life for me. It's a fucking miracle she didn't kill you tonight." I stated rather confidently with a laugh. Levi rolled his eyes and huffed, passing it off as nothing. "I mean it, Rivaille, thank you for tonight." I thanked again.

I scooted closer and nudged his shoulder with my hand, to which Levi leaned one way from the impact. I laughed quietly at his drunken act, but something was suddenly nagging at the back of my mind, something important, something I knew and couldn't remember. What was it?

"You... You looked really happy tonight." Levi mumbled. I looked up at him, a little surprised by his words.

"... I was. It was something I really needed."

"So you're happy...?" He asked.

"Of course. What would make you think I wasn't?" I asked. Levi slowly leaned to the side until his head was against my shoulder. He rubbed his forehead against my shoulder for a moment, his eyes shutting slowly. Did he plan on falling asleep on me?

"I thought it'd be awkward if you spent your birthday with us..." He mumbled.

"No way! I haven't had a birthday so wonderful before." I said and wrapped my arm around his shoulders.

"... That's good..." He murmured. I smiled at him.

"You're so drunk, Rivaille..." I joked while looking at the leftover cake on the coffee table. "That's what five glasses of wine will get you." I felt him shift against me, his hand falling to my inner thigh. I stiffened in place, feeling his hand squeeze a little before he started to talk.

"Eren..." He mumbled.

"Yeah...?" I looked down at him, my breath hitching in my throat when I saw that he was already looking at me.

He was so close...

Thoughts from hours ago hit me like a ton of bricks.

"You can call me Levi... I don't mind..." I could smell the wine on his breathe as he spoke, but that was the last thing on my mind. He was so close to me. Our faces were barely two inches apart. I could feel that alcohol-laced breath fanning gently against my skin and it had my cheeks heating up in a blush.

I've never had alcohol. That wine and beer was the first time I ever drank anything like that before. It's possible that I have a low tolerance for alcohol and I'm drunk, because the ideas going through my head are so wrong in so many ways, but there was still something nagging at me. There was something I was missing, some piece of information that I knew, but couldn't think of at the moment.

"Eren..." Levi murmured.

"Hm...?" Levi's hand slowly lifted up to cup my cheek in his hand, his warm palm pressing against my blushing cheeks. His fingers barely brushed against my jaw line as they moved to cup around my ear and give a light tug. That light tug was enough to move me forward and close the small gap between us in a kiss.

Our lips met slowly, hesitantly, and I nearly backed away upon the first touch, but I forced myself not to. I didn't dare move away, fearing the loss of the kiss just as much as I was afraid of the initial touch. I was afraid of so many things at once that it was irrevocable, but Levi's left hand slowly lifted to press against the cleft in my shoulder, reassuring and calming all at once. I lifted a trembling hand to sit on his leg, just barely below his hip. This caused him to shift slightly and tilt his head to one side. I followed, but tilted my head in the other direction to avoid our noses bumping together.

His lips were impossibly soft. I never knew someone like Levi, the man who couldn't go a minute without a cuss word leaving his lips, could have such soft and tender lips. His hands were much the same way, soft and nimble as they moved from my cheek to my neck and pulled. The motion put more pressure into the kiss, forcing me to open my mouth a little. That's apparently what he wanted, because he parted to breathe, but not before giving a little cat lick to my lips. The alcohol was on my lips, so when I licked at them, I could taste the lingering grape flavors.

Oh, now I remembered what it was that caused that nagging feeling.

"Levi..." I mumbled while looking into his black eyes.

"Eren..." Levi had said my name before, but the way he said it now did something to me. It had my head spinning. I felt a tender burning in my abdomen, but it didn't hurt. It was just the opposite, and I was afraid of that.

It felt good.

"Levi..." I backed up a little more to breathe, but that only provoked him to move forward and keep the distance short. "... You aren't drunk... Are you?" I asked.

Levi's eyes glinted with something unfamiliar, but I got my answer. He wasn't drunk, far from it, in fact. Levi couldn't get drunk. That was the thing that was nagging at me earlier. I don't know how I missed it before, but it was as clear as day now, and it wasn't like I cared.

His lips were back on mine in an instant, and there was so much more behind this kiss. There was such a strong passion behind it, a strong passion and a burning desire that made my lips tingle and my abdomen burn in ways I've only felt on lonely nights by myself. It was so tender, but wanting and needing all at the same time. There was a vague possession behind the kiss as well, but I couldn't care less about that. How could someone like Levi communicate such emotions in one simple kiss?

Well, it wasn't really simple when our tongues started battling together for dominance. I lost in seconds, but I really didn't mind. His tongue was completely strong and controlling and it damn near had me drooling, and when he groaned into my mouth, it nearly rendered me deaf, blind, and dumb. My body melted against his quicker than I lost the war between our connected lips.

My body moved without my consent, my hands wrapping around him tightly and yanking him forward in the kiss. He groaned once more, quieter than before while his fingers gripped the hair on the back of my head. He pulled as well until our chests were together and he was making me sink onto the arm rest of the couch. As he pushed me back, his legs slowly hooked over mine until his thighs were straddling my waist and his hips and the backs of his knees were barely touching my thighs. In this position, there was absolutely no way he couldn't feel the erection I was gaining from this situation.

"L-Levi," I had said his name before, but trying it out now made me lose my grip on his hips. His name practically rolled off of my tongue, which was then dominated by Levi's in a frantic kiss. I almost couldn't keep up with him, almost, but I forced myself to stay up to his speed. Levi's lips were practically none stop on me, however, and it was hard. I had to hold on to the back of his head, just where the shaved part of his head met with his longer hair, just to keep him at a slowed pace (or slower rather).

"Fuck..." Levi cursed as he pulled away. His voice sounded so tired, breathless, so weak, and it had my legs trembling. I clasped my hands back to his hips, just where his shirt was riding up, and I could feel the expanse of his warm skin just below my fingertips. His skin was so soft, so incredibly soft, and I couldn't resist moving my hands up and pushing his shirt with it. Levi had gone to nibble at my ear, and when my fingers began to run over his nipples, he practically keened in my ear.

"Fuck" indeed. He was acting like such a... Such a "bottom player." I had no better term to refer to him as, that one being the only one I ever knew, but that was all I could think to call him. The way I touched him made him nearly sob with bliss, and I sure as hell didn't know someone like Levi could be so sensitive. In all of the chaos of kisses and running my hands all over him, I bucked my hips up and ground my erection against his backside.

The response I got from him was breathtaking: his back arched, pushing his chest into mine, and a breathless moan left his lips by my ear. I could have had an orgasm right at that very moment just from that alone, but I barely kept myself grounded. His pleasing groans and moans were so fucking erotic, but I couldn't help but worry if these were made for pain, not pleasure. I was about to lift my head up to question him when he started rolling his hips, grinding his now obvious erection into mine for friction.

If there was a God out there, he truly loved me.

I put my hands back at his hips to steady both of us as he did this, and it made him slow, but not without a whine of protest. My grip on him could have easily bruised his skin, but he didn't seem to notice, and I could barely focus to relax my grip. He continued rolling his hips, a little faster and a little harder as he pushed himself up off of his elbows. He sat up straight on my hips, but he didn't stop. I let out a rather loud moan (louder than I'd like to admit) as I kept pushing into him, and I could only sit by as Levi arched his back beautifully in pleasure.

Pleasure that I had given him, let's not forget.

Levi ran his fingers through his bangs, pushing them out of his face to see better. If I didn't have a nosebleed by now from that sight, I didn't know what would give me one. He looked so handsome, so perfect, so beautiful, and I moaned again shamelessly.

"F-Fuck," Levi whined again, his hips pushing down more insistently. I reached into his shirt again to rub at a nipple, and his hips stuttered before he bent over slightly. "Just like that..."

_Oh fuck me already._

I yanked at the collar of his shirt, pulling him down so his chest was pressed against mine again. I pulled his lips to mine quickly for a kiss, needing that touch and warmth. I moaned into his mouth as our tongues danced together again, and I distantly felt his hands go to my belt to start fiddling with the buckle. A quick burst of warmth tingled through my legs and my hands shot down to do the same to him. I barely got his undone before my hands went under the rims of both his pants and underwear just so I could rub at the skin of his backside.

It was so smooth, warm, and soft, but it was firm at the same time. I didn't know what to do with myself besides give his ass a few good squeezes, pulling delicious moans from him. He, on the other side of it all, was having a terrible time getting my belt undone. He pulled his lips from mine and sat up just to curse at the thing for pushing our time together away, but I could see it wasn't the belt, but him. His hands were shaking terribly, and his breathing was ragged. I couldn't say that I was any better, because I wasn't. I was a virgin after all.

However, despite that depressing piece of information, my body knew what it was doing faster than my mind did. It was all natural instinct. Just like our first kiss, my body was acting quicker than my brain, so all I could do was let it lead.

"Shit," Levi cursed once more before finally getting the buckle undone. I could scarcely make out a smile on his lips, no doubt as happy as I to be rid of the evil thing (Who invented belts anyway?), but it was said and done. He yanked it off fast and threw it to the floor, his fingers pulling at the button to my pants. Another curse before he popped it open and downed my zipper. The sound was so tantalizing, almost like it was in slow motion for me. It was a tease, and I loved every fucking minute of it.

It felt like an eternity before it was finally down, and I almost saw stars in front of my eyes. The sound of it finally stopping left everything loud; my breathing, his breathing, my heart thumping wildly in my chest, and then...

The sound of a door clicking open…

Levi heard it too. I could tell by the way he suddenly stopped, how his muscles froze up, and how he lifted his head to look away from me. I sat up on my elbows and turned my body to look out the door, and just as I did, I could see Levi's great grandfather walking past the archway and to the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See, this is where all hell broke loose on FF.net. XD It's mentioned here that Levi is "acting" like a bottom player. This does not entitled that he is one. Because of this, someone took it the wrong way and said they were going to stop reading the story. I'm not forcing anyone to read it, so if you don't like it, please leave respectfully. ^^I repeat: Will I make him one? I'm not sure, because the story isn't even finished yet. I may or may not. Here though, he's "acting" like a bottom player, not being one! Just wanted to clear that up. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D


	12. Release

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is so understanding and it makes me feel so light-hearted and happy. ^^ I'm really glad to see that everyone else is enjoying the fanfic so much, so thanks for your wonderful comments! Trust me, everyone, that person is highly ignored. The only reason I told everyone the story was because I wanted anyone against Levi being a bottom player to leave peacefully. I don't want any wars, but it seems that I may not have one. That was my biggest concern. XD Yes, let's not give Misty a heart attack from fan wars thank you very much!  
> Well~ Enjoy the chapter for today! (oh you will~)

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

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**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** ****  
**"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** ****  
**"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


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**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** ****  
**Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** ****  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


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**Chapter: 12** ****  
**Release** ****  


* * *

In any situation, whether it was me or someone else, I would think that walking in on your great grandson while he's got his face in his husbands crotch would deter anyone. It seemed logical, and I knew I surely would die of utter embarrassment, whichever side I was on, but, oh no, not Levi's grandfather. He was totally fine with it.

"Don't mind me, boys. I forgot my water and I couldn't sleep. Keep doing what you're doing, it's not like I haven't seen it before. The internet is filled with so much that you could click a child's website and you'd get porn, and isn't that horrible. Children should worry about school, not opening porn, but what can you do? Parents don't block things an don't watch after their kids..." His rambling continued down the hall, and when the guest bedrooms door shut, I swore I could still hear him talking on.

Silence. Utter silence.

Neither of us could breathe, so it wasn't like that was even existence at the moment. The only loud sound in the room was my heart beating blood into my ears.

Levi sat up slightly, his hands slipping away from the waistband of my pants. Like me, the situation was catching up with him, and he was obviously regretting it. He had to be. Who wouldn't be? I know I would definitely regret it if it wasn't for the raging erection still present between my legs.

Yes, Levi's great grandfather walking in on us in the act of having sex was not enough to get rid of my boner. It's a shocker to me too.

Finally, breath seemed to fill my lungs, but it was cold. Breathing in caused Levi to shift, and the tension and pressure was too much for someone like me. I couldn't handle it. I sat up off of my elbows, trying to keep my distance from him, but with Levi still sitting on my hips, it wasn't possible. He shifted once more, and, when he moved, I felt the erection still straining in his pants. My heart picked up in pace after a brief moment when it stopped all together, and I swallowed rather noisily.

I felt guilt hit me, guilt and a sudden sense of nausea. What we had just done, where it could have gone had we not been interrupted, was wrong on so many levels. We broke so many rules (and a few laws, I'm sure) when it came to everything between us.

He was my  _boss._  My boss of  _two years_. There was a professional boundary between us, and we just fucked that up.

Then there was the "professionalism" of the contract between us. We were "acting," so unless Levi knew his great grandfather was going to walk in on us and that was all acting, we broke that rule too.

And there was just the fact that it was wrong. How? Well, I honestly can't say. I just knew it was wrong. Somehow, someway, what we did was wrong, and I knew it.

Was Levi feeling this way? I wasn't sure, and I wasn't about to stick around to find out. I bolted upright, nearly whacking my head against Levi's chin as I did so. I pushed at his shoulders, sending him back onto the couch and getting off of it myself. I left the living room, simultaneously running down the hall and trying to keep my pants up. He had taken my belt, after all.

I didn't hear him call for me, so I considered that a good thing as I went into the bathroom and shut the door behind me. It was dark, but I flipped the light switch up and turned the lights on. The first thing I saw was my reflection in the mirror.

I was red in the face, ears, and neck, and I was also a little sweaty. Despite the flush colors in my cheeks, my skin was pale. My eyes were wide, pupils dilated to the point where my natural green was almost gone. My hair was up and down and tangled in all sorts of directions, and I was sure the hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end. I looked as if I had just seen a ghost (his grandfather was close to one).

I bit my bottom lip as I looked away from my reflection and down instead. Bad idea, because I was met with my pants wide open and tented by my obvious erections.

"Shit..." I cursed and tried zipping my pants back up. Just the measly touch had my cheeks flaring up in arousal. "Shit, shit, shit..."

This shouldn't have happen. This wasn't supposed to happen. What we just did should never have happened, but the images were playing in my head so vividly. His soft lips and hands, his red cheeks, his eyes that had momentarily shown emotion, and those sweet sounds that left his lips as we rutted together like horny teenagers...

_Stop that, Eren!_

Think of something else. Think of something to distract myself until it goes down. Think of school, boring ass school, or maybe of disgusting vegetables and how much I hated them. Think of Jean and his horse face-

 _Oh fuck no_. I don't need to be thinking about him now or ever, though it would do well to bring down my erection.

No matter what I thought of, whether it was disgusting or sickening, my erection was still there, and it was still burning for friction. My thighs closed together, applying the lightest amount of pressure that had me biting my lips to keep down a whimper. I knew what I needed to do to get rid of it, but at the risk of getting caught, was it really worth it? I shifted on my feet, my thighs rubbing together and giving me the smallest inkling of what was to come.

Fuck  _yes._  It was so worth it.

I limped my way over to the toilet and pulled at my pants and underwear, bringing them down to my thighs just enough to expose my aching member. I knew that, if I got anything anywhere on any of Levi's things, he'd kill me. Death was so not worth the pleasure.

With the same focus as a man clinging onto a life jacket, I grabbed at myself and tugged. The heat was unlike any other, and the pleasure pooling together in my stomach was burning and wonderful. I nearly lost the will to continuously bite my lip. I grabbed at the collar of my disheveled shirt and bit into it, keeping myself quiet as I rubbed at my heated skin unabashedly. Fuck, it was good.

I gripped at the counter to gain balance, my legs becoming weak as my hips started jerking into my hand. My eyes blurred and fogged with obvious lust, and I knew by experience that my cheeks were fifty shades of red. I was starting to sweat, my body and the room being too hot. However, the cold contrast of the sink counter on my hand raised goose bumps on my burning skin. I shivered with delight, and the shiver went down my spine and straight to my erection.

I rubbed my thumb over the tip, pre cum smearing and making a pretty good lubricant as I continued. If I was already leaking, I sure didn't have much longer. With that in mind, I decided to entertain myself with thoughts of Levi.

His warm and soft skin, his hot breath against my neck, against my ear; his body and his erection pressed into mine, and his voice. His hot, deep, heavy voice. I could just hear those words coming from his mouth again, those curses and slurs of sentences.

Fuck...

_"Fuck, just like that."_

_"Eren..."_

I whined, my hips doing more thrusting than my hand was pumping. I was close, so very close. I was teetering on the edge of insanity, and I was just about there. A few more tugs and I'd be done.

Just as I thought that, a hand suddenly cupped over my mouth. I shrieked against it, but it was forcibly hidden by the obscuring object.

"Shush, Eren," Levi's voice was a husky whisper by my ear, making me shiver. Another hand came around my waist, holding me still as I squirmed. "You wouldn't want my grandparents to hear you, would you?" Just as he asked that, the hand that had been sitting on my waist fell to my swollen length, pushed my hand away, and began stroking it.

I moaned into the palm of his hand, my head rolling back onto his shoulder as my legs gave out from under me. The tug of his hand made me force my legs to hold me up, if not for a little longer, and then his hand continued stroking me. It was so hard to stand up, let alone do it while this torturous pleasure was going on, but it wasn't like I had a choice. His hands were too strong around me, so even if I tried to fall, he would be there to hold me up. Was this a bad thing?

I honestly couldn't think of a proper answer to that question. My eyes rolled back, my vision going black for a moment as I focused solely on his hand. His fingers ghosted over my skin, rubbed at my sensitive sack, and then his pace quickened around my shaft. His hand on my mouth pulled my head to the side and his lips attacked my neck, sucking and biting and making me tremble. I groaned, and now I was thankful for his hand. I would have woken up China with how loud I was being.

"Fuck, you're hot like this, Jaeger." He breathed into my ear. I scratched at his hand, trying to pull it away so I could protest about his choice of words and ask how he could possibly talk so fucking sexy at a time like this, but his hand was stagnant. He wasn't going to budge. "Do you like what I'm doing, Eren?"

All I could do was nod weakly and moan into his hand. It wasn't like he was giving me the ability to speak, what with his hand still covering my mouth.

"That's good," He began sucking on my neck again, to the point where I could feel the hickey forming on my neck. It just had to be below my hairline where everyone in the fucking world could see it? He pulled away, a small strand of saliva trailing out of his mouth that had me absolutely lose it. I bucked into his hand, craving more, and he smirked at my suffering. "I forgot about you being a virgin. That just means I don't have to go all out." I would have rolled my eyes had I not suddenly felt a hard something press against my thigh.

I was glad to see I was not the only one like this, but I wasn't very caring at the moment. I was so close, so, so close, and I needed my release.

In a daring act of lust, I ground my hips back against his, my hand pulling on the waistband of his pants. A groan escaped him as my length twitched in his hand.

"Fuck," He hissed. "You're just asking for it." He released my mouth as he spoke. With the fear of being caught, I bit into my hand, right where my previous scar was across the muscle of my thumb. I bit down hard, nearly breaking the skin, all a force of habit, but Levi would have none of that. He yanked my hand from my mouth, and I didn't even get the chance for my jaw to relax before his lips were on mine, his tongue quickly forcing its way into my mouth. My tongue danced with the intruder, and my whimpers and moans increased in volume. The sounds of our tongues dancing within our mouths were loud, and with a few more pumps from his hand, I was done.

I moaned into his mouth, shamelessly bucking my hips erratically as I came in his hand. My nails dug into the hand around my hips (the one previously gripping my mouth), and I couldn't even feel guilty as the high reached its peak. Levi bit down on my bottom lip, leaving enough room for a rather loud moan to slip past my parted lips as my high disintegrated, and I was left with the acute onset of exhaustion.

His arms finally let go of me entirely, and without my support system to hold me up, I dropped to the floor in a boneless heap of panting and gasping. The tiled floor was cold, a total contrast to my body heat, but felt so good and comforting at the same time; I encouraged the welcoming cold. My eyes slipped shut for a few moments, or maybe even minutes, because it felt like forever before I could form a coherent breath and thought. The first thought to enter my head was Levi.

I blearily looked up to Levi, watching as he examined my fluids on his hands. He didn't look at all upset; in fact, he looked rather sultry with the way he gazed at it. I felt as if my cheeks heated up more (I must look like a literal tomato), and that itself did well to make me feel like I could get hard again.

That was when my eyes fell to his hips. He was still hard; the proof was the tenting in his pants that I had opened up lord knows how long ago. His cheeks were actually flushed a deep shade of red, and his breathing was irregular.

This was the first time I had even seen Levi look so bent out of shape. I'd never seen him with so much emotion on his face. While it was all one emotion, just passion and lust (they were the same thing, right?), it was something excruciatingly incredible.

I wanted to see more.

Forcing myself on my knees, I crawled closer to Levi and grabbed at his pants. I yanked them apart, to which he gasped in surprise and tried to pull away, but the wall behind him kept him in my grasp.

"Eren, no-" I looked up at him, giving him the most pleading look I could. My lips were red and swollen from kissing, so they were slightly parted while I breathed. My eyes were still wide and my pupils were blown way out of proportion, so I used that to my advantage, and then there was the fact that I was just on my knees with my lips mere inches from his crotch. I wasn't one to gloat, but I thought I did pretty damn well with my expression. "Shit..." He cursed and bit into his thumb.

I considered that my okay to go.

I yanked his pants down, leaving his underwear on for pure torture. I hesitantly reached a hand out to cup over the bulge in his underwear, and I felt Levi tense under my fingers as he continued digging his teeth into his thumb. I looked up for a moment, silently asking him if it was okay to continue. When he didn't object, I began a soft stroking, and Levi cursed a few times under his breath.

"Does it hurt?" Kind of a naive question to ask, but I didn't want to hurt him, and then think I was giving him pleasure.

"N-No..." With that confirmation, I continued, starting from the hidden base and slowly making my way up to the tip. I pinched at the tip, feeling a liquid slip through his undergarments, and Levi's legs shook slightly, like they were about to give out on him. To give him a break, I stopped the gentle touches to pull his underwear away, leaving his lower half bare.

This probably wasn't the best time to feel inadequacy for my size, but I couldn't help it when I saw Levi's length. Levi's height did  _nothing_  to honor what was hidden away under his clothes.

 _"Wow..."_  It was so quiet that Levi didn't hear it, and I barely did. It was more like I just mouthed the word before going back to my previous task of stroking him.

"F-Fuck, Eren..." I shivered at how wonderful my name sounded coming off of his hot lips. I looked up at him to find his dark eyes staring down into mine, his hand covering his mouth and his cheeks a shade darker. He must have been embarrassed, because what he said did come out rather loud. I would have grinned at that knowledge if I wasn't so mesmerized by his stare.

His hand left the wall behind him and his fingers curled through my hair. He gave a light tug, and my heart gave a strange lurch within my chest. I had a feeling that I knew what he was asking for, but I didn't know if I would be any good. The only knowledge of sex that I had was from watching porn as a teenager, but I had never actually done anything close to it. My only experience was my hand, and that was it, but, if Levi wanted it, I could try.

"Eren..." If he was going to say my name like that, then fuck, I would definitely try.

I looked back to his impressive length and gingerly licked at the head. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, whether I was expecting a foul taste or bad reaction, but Levi didn't have any objections. So I did it again, and then one more time before opening my mouth wider and taking the head in. Levi's hips twitched, and I knew he was fighting not to buck them into my mouth. I pressed my hands into his thighs to hold him still as I worked my lips and tongue over the head of his now leaking cock.

"Oh... Fuck..." By the sounds of his pants and gasps, I must have been doing something right. I tried stretching my jaw more so I could take more of him in, but it was hard, leaving tears behind to blind my eyes. I wasn't used to any of this, but he was so damn tempting and seducing that I wanted to do more, if only it meant hearing his voice utter my name.

I pulled back with a gasp; it was hard to breathe with a cock shoved in my mouth, but I collected myself and tried again. Ignoring my gag reflex, I forced more of him in until I felt the tip hitting the back of my throat. More tears were in my eyes, and I distantly felt some slip down my cheeks, but when I saw Levi's head tip back and a breathless moan slipped past his lips, I'd gladly take it all again.

I hesitantly let go of his thighs and placed my hands on his waist, giving him free reign to thrust into my mouth. I knew he was trying to hold back, but I didn't care. If he wouldn't do it, then I would myself, and he knew that. So he gently thrust forward, and I continued to suck (as if I had another option). His hand left my hair in favor of resting on my shoulder, ad he squeezed hard enough to leave a bruise as I moaned around him.

"S-Shit... Eren, stop..." He uttered.  _Stop...?_  Why would I want to stop? "Damn it, I... I-I'm gonna..."

Was that why he wanted me to stop? Well, he was sadly mistaken. I forced myself to swallow around him and take him to the base, another moan leaving me. He groaned, his hand falling back into my hair and pulling me forward. His hips bucked forward harshly, making me whimper with slight pain before he released in my mouth.

There was so much of it. I tried swallowing it all, but I couldn't do it. However, his hand was unmoving, keeping me firmly on his cock as he finished his climax. When he let go, I pulled back abruptly and gasped for air, coughing here and there with his liquids slipping from my lips. It tasted bitter, and it wasn't all that pleasant, but I was more worried about breathing than the taste.

Levi dropped down to the floor with me, gasping for air with a light sheen of sweat along his fringe. His head was back against the wall, his breathing slowing down on purpose, and, with his eyes closed, he looked like he was trying to sleep, but he wasn't. He opened his eyes and lowered his head, and I shivered with the way he looked at me. He reached forward, tangled his fingers into my hair, and yanked hard to pull me to him. I couldn't even let out a sound of pain, because, within a second, his lips were on mine.

I groaned into his mouth, my senses jumbled, leaving me numb to everything but the kiss. It felt good, but there was a sense of exhaustion behind it. Levi's movements were lazy and slow, and when we pulled apart, I saw his eyes half lidded with sleep. I wasn't at all offended by it. In fact, I was all for it.

I hadn't felt this horrible sleep deprivation since I started working for Levi.

He pulled again, but, instead of kissing me, he pulled my head to fall onto his shoulder, as if he had read my mind. His hands held me close in a strong embrace, and I hadn't felt this safe before. I sighed in comfort, my hands falling against his chest and my fingers played with the buttons of his wrinkled shirt. His fingers tangled into my hair, and soft, lingering kisses were given to my forehead. I heard him sigh above me, but there was something inside that sigh that made me think that he hadn't felt this content in a very long time, just like me.

This was something we both needed.


	13. What Do You Know?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh~ Here comes Levi's past~~~~~~ *runs away*

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter: 13** **  
** **What Do You Know?** ****  


* * *

We didn't talk about it again.

We barely talked at all.

I had woken up the next morning, fully clothed and sore in a way I hadn't felt before. I was in Levi's bed, and I was alone. The loneliness was unsettling, so I went searching for him. He, along with his great grandparents, was in the kitchen, already eating breakfast. They all said their good mornings in chipper moods (this included Levi), and his grandmother quickly explained that the reason why she never woke me up was because Levi had told her that I had a tough time sleeping last night, so she let me sleep in.

On the contrary to her statement, I slept like a rock. I hadn't had such a good night's sleep since...

I  _haven't_  had a good night's sleep.

The entire time we talked, Levi's grandfather had eyes on the two of us. Oh yes, he knew, and, if he had any suspicions about us before, he sure as hell didn't now. He was probably eyeballing the gruesome hickey on my neck too. Who wouldn't when it looked like someone whacked me with a baseball bat?

We finished breakfast with smiles. I helped Levi's put the dishes away while his grandparents shuffled over to the living room. With them gone, I fully planned to confront Levi about last night, but the air changed. He was no longer smiling, a thin, frightening frown taking its place. His eyes fell low, and they looked dull with disinterest. I got my answer then.

We weren't going to talk about it.

So, two days later, here I was now. It was about eight at night, and I was currently wiping down the coffee table with an old rag damp with warm water, for I had spilled my soda on it. I was just going to wipe it off, but then I thought about the sticky residue it would leave, not to mention the glass looked a little dull. Levi offered to help, playing up the roll, but I refused, saying it was okay and that I wasn't incapable of doing it myself.

"If you want, there's some glass cleaner in the closet in the hall." Levi offered. I nodded, setting the rag down on the table so I could get it. I stepped into the hallway, and, once out of sight from everyone, I sighed. The tension, even when we were acting, was just too much. I wasn't sure what it was I felt like he was communicating, whether he was mentally stabbing me to bits or undressing me with his eyes. I had no clue, and I wasn't sure if I wanted an answer.

Instead of trying to figure it out, I just rested my weight against the white walls for a few moments. It was darker in the hallways, no lights on, and the only lights were coming from the kitchen and living room. Even in this lighting, however, it was too boring. I know it's a hallway, and people don't tend to decorate those with much, but there was nothing at all. Nothing on the doors or floors, nothing on the walls, and it made it really eerie. Even after my parents died, Mikasa and I kept a few pictures up. Most of them consisted of Armin, Mikasa, and I, and only one had my parents in it, but it was something.

 _"Jeeze..."_  I muttered and stood up. Why didn't Levi bother putting up any pictures of his family or friends? Come to think of it, why didn't I see any of these pictures? He actually didn't have any up, up or framed or sitting around on a table. He didn't have any.

Hadn't his grandmother said he had a sister, Isabel? Why weren't there any pictures of her? Why weren't there any pictures of Levi and Petra? They had been married for about ten years. Some pictures had to have come from a marriage, even wedding photos.

I had to reprimand myself. This wasn't any of my business. If he didn't have them, he didn't have them, and he had his reasons. I had no business messing with his personal life, so, even though I was curious, I wouldn't say a word.

I sighed, stepping away from the wall to get to the closet. It was only when I was in front of it...  _Them,_  that I realized that there were two closets. Had he said which one I was supposed to go in? No, he said it was in the closet.

Well, no sense in twiddling my fingers. I went for the door closest to me and pulled it open. Inside was a bunch of boxes, but nothing that indicated it had what I was looking for.

"Eren," Levi's voice sounded slightly frantic from where he was down the hall. I pushed the door open more, hoping to see where Levi's voice was coming from, but I only got a glimpse of him before a searing pain hit me in the head. I fell onto the floor, my hand coming up to cover a now open wound on my forehead. I felt blood seeping between my fingers and fall down my arms, and Levi was by my side in a second, pulling me close to see the new injury to my head.

"Oh no, what happened?" Levi's grandmother suddenly appeared in the hallway, followed by his grandfather. They both made their way to us, and his grandmother was fretting over the blood now staining my nice, white shirt.

Yeah, good question.

I looked away from Levi, his intense gaze frightening me. I looked to the floor by my hands to see a picture frame that was now dented, and one of the corners had my blood on it. The glass protecting the photo was shattered, leaving the photo blank and unprotected. It took a few seconds to register the information into my blood-deficient brain, but, when it did, I understood. A picture frame had fallen out if the closet and smacked me over the head. The corner got me, creating a rather nasty gash over my eyebrow.

Wait, a picture frame?

"How bad is it?" I dropped my head to Levi's shoulder, not so much intentional, but because I couldn't hold my head up right now. I hoped he would forgive me for getting blood on him.

"Pretty bad, but I think you can get away without stitches." Levi explained while running his fingers over and near my wound. His grandparents couldn't have been anymore relieved, and his grandmother slowly sat on her knees to pick up the broke picture frame. "I'm sorry, Eren. I should have told you not to go in  _that_  closet." He apologized while lifting my head.

This was the first time he looked into my eyes since a few nights ago.

"No, no, it's okay. I'm a klutz after all. I should be thankful I have such a thick skull, or that probably would have been worse." I joked. Levi smiled, but there was a gleam of something in his eyes.

Was it relief?

It would make sense. We hadn't talked without pressure pushing us down for days. I felt better just by having a normal and decent conversation with him, like the weight was gone for now. It made it easier, and, even with this injury to my head, I felt lighter...

Or maybe that really was the injury. I was still losing blood.

"Oh, look at this!" His grandmother suddenly mused while holding up the picture. "Look, Levi, it's you and Isabel on the couch together watching cartoons." She held up the broken picture frame, showing said picture still hidden away behind broken shards of glass. "This was always my favorite picture."

My blood ran cold. I physically felt the tension grow again, and with panic, I looked away, but not for long.

This was my first time seeing Isabel, seeing her big, green eyes or her tousled, dark-red hair. There was a part of me who saw the resemblance between her and I, and an even bigger part of me wondering if Levi's grandmother was blind or senile. However, I've noticed that the way his grandmother talked was past tense. Was she making a grammar mistake, or had something happened to Isabel? Why wasn't she here now?

"We'll have to get a new frame for this now and hang it up somewhere. How about in the living room? We can put it by the television." His grandmother suggested. I felt as if she were putting salt onto an open wound, fanning the flames, so to speak. The tension grew, and I felt sick to my stomach. This wasn't because of my injury.

Levi suddenly stood up from my side and pulled the picture frame from his grandmother's hands. He did it so roughly, without any care to the glass still present, and that was to go without saying how rude he was behaving.

"Levi-" I stopped when he tossed the frame back into the closet, on top of a box, before slamming the door shut. The sound of it was loud to my ears, making me flinch and wince. He was pissed again, but why? What had any of us done wrong? "Levi..."

"Come on, Eren. We need to clean your cut." Levi told me and grabbed at my arm. He pulled me up to my feet roughly, and the sudden motion made me dizzy and nauseous. He suddenly took me away, pulling me out of the hallway and into the kitchen where the lighting was better.

He had me sit down in one of the barstools by the island and wait while he found the medicine kit hidden in one of the drawers. He grabbed some paper towels first and then set it down beside me. He opened it, pulled out a band aid, peroxide, and some antibiotic ointment. All while he did this, it was completely quiet. I felt the pressure in the air, heavier than it had ever been, and fidgeted in my seat while he wet the paper towel down with some peroxide.

"This might sting." Levi warned. I nodded and closed my eyes as he applied the towel to my head. Sting was an understatement. It fucking  _hurt._  That, added with the nausea and lack of blood, I felt like I could pass out if it wasn't for his hand on my cheek. I could tell that I had broken out into a sudden cold sweat just by the way his hand was warm against my cold cheek.

"Are you okay?" He asked quietly.

"Mhm..." I mumbled. I'd live, but not for long if this motion sickness made me vomit on him. He'd kill me himself. He pulled the towel away from my head, and then wiped at the blood around the rest of my face. He went quiet, carefully and fully examining the cut before speaking up.

"Yeah, you won't need stitches." He muttered and set the towel down.

"That's good..." I mumbled. He set the band aid free from its sanitary prison and applied some ointment onto it before putting it on me. It stung again, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the peroxide. The ointment even numbed the pain, making me sigh in relief.

"Better...?"

"Much. Thank you," I nodded my head. I was prepared to get up out of the chair when Levi's arms pressed into the counter behind me, trapping me in the chair. I felt my heart speed up within my chest, and my cheeks heated up slightly in embarrassment from the way he was looking at me.

"Eren..." He sounded serious and upset. What had I done to upset him? Was this about his picture frame? If so, I was more than willing to replace it. It was just a frame after all. So long as the picture was fine, there was nothing to worry about.

"What did my grandmother say to you?"

"Huh...?" I didn't have any blood in my head. What kind of answer did you expect?

"When you and my grandmother went for a walk the other day, what did she say to you?"

Was this what he was worried about? When I thought about it, it kind of made sense. He'd been panicking for days, after all. He never got the chance to question me on my birthday, and, after what happened, we'd been avoiding each other. He must have been worried for these past few days over that.

"Oh... She didn't say anything." I shrugged my shoulders as I said. I was telling the truth. Beyond the little slip-up mention of his little sister, that was it. Everything else was me talking about my past.

However, this didn't seem to be what he wanted to hear. He lowered his head and shook it, and I saw disappointment gleam in his eyes.

"Don't lie to me, Eren..." He uttered. I couldn't help the pit of unexplained emotions swirling in my stomach. He thought I was lying to him...?

"I'm not lying." I defended. "We talked about the city and about my family-"

"Eren, knock it off!" Having him suddenly raise his voice to the point of a shout was unnerving. Having his slam his hands by my sides was scary. Having it all directed at me made my stomach hurt. Why was he so upset with me? "It's been killing me for days not knowing what went on between you two. I can't stand thinking of the things she told you!"

He stepped away and paced. I finally stood, but I took a step back.

He was scaring me. Why was he so upset?

"She didn't tell me anything!" I repeated. There was a quiet and tense moment that passed, but it was broken when Levi's grandmother stepped into the kitchen, a worried look on her face.

"Boy's, are you alright? We heard you yelling." She said, her frown upsetting. I hated seeing her upset like that just as much as I hated seeing Levi that upset.

"Laissez-nous tranquilles!" Levi barked. His grandmother jumped, but whatever it was he said made her leave the room. I was stunned beyond words; I couldn't believe that he had just yelled at his great grandmother. I would rather have him yell at me instead of her.

"Levi, don't yell at your grandmother like that!" I fought back. "She's done nothing wrong!" Levi gripped his hair into his fingers and paced.

I didn't understand.

"Fuck..." He cursed under his breath.

"Levi, what is going on with you?" I asked. I reached out to touch him, to grab his shoulder, but I was met with a quick slap to the hand.

It wasn't intentional. He was merely trying to move my hand, but it was still a slap.

I thought he said he wouldn't do it again...

"Shit, I..." He stopped, looking slightly guilty. Was he trying to apologize?

"Levi, I don't understand why you're so upset. What did I do to upset you?" I asked while cradling my hand.

"Why can't you just tell me what she said?" He yelled. "What, was it something about my abusive parents? Was it about how my father took everything from me, including my virginity?"

_What...?_

"Was it about how they sold me to a bunch of child loving perverts more than once?"

_Stop it..._

"Or how I was their punching bag for fourteen fucking years?"

_Stop saying those things..._

"What, Eren? What the fuck did she tell you?"

I'd had enough.

I don't know what happened next. My body moved on its own. I couldn't stop my hand when it lashed out against Levi's cheek, slapping his face in the opposite direction.

The moment it was over, I instantly felt regret. He looked shocked that I had done something so unlike myself; I'll admit that I was probably even more surprised, but he also looked hurt. He looked like he could break down and cry any second, and I hated that thought. I didn't want him to cry, I just wanted to stop him from saying all of that scary stuff.

"The only thing she said," I finally broke the silence with my shaky voice. "Was that I reminded her of your little sister. She didn't say anything else! She tried, but I told her not to. I told her that you would tell me on your own time, when you were ready, and that was it. I've never heard anything about your past, not until now, at least." I was flustered with anger.

"I tried to tell you that, but you wouldn't stop yelling! You scared me..." When was the last time I was able to say that I was scared? "… Levi..."

He was quiet, and it scared me even more. With his head turned and his bangs covering his eyes, I couldn't possibly read what he was thinking. I needed to know what was going through his head. Was it good or bad? Was he thinking of ending this all, telling his grandparents the truth and forcing me to leave just so he wouldn't have to see me again? I couldn't stand not knowing what he was thinking of me.

Maybe this was how Levi felt.

I was about to speak up again, to ask him. I needed to know. Just as I was about to, I saw a wet trail go down his cheek. My heart stopped for a moment, pain lurching within my chest. No, what I saw was wrong. That  _wasn't_ a tear. He  _wasn't_ crying. There was no way Levi could cry...

Was there...?

No, no, no. I didn't mean to make him cry. If I could take it back I would. I didn't want him crying, I was afraid though.

"L-Levi...?" Even with the fear of being hit again, I reached out hesitantly to grab his hand. I managed to lace my fingers with his before he pulled away and abruptly left the room. My heart ached more, and, with fear of being left alone weighing heavy on my head, I chased after him. By the time I got to him, he had already left the apartment, car keys in hand as he walked down the halls. "Levi, wait!" I called out.

Levi stopped at one of the elevators and pushed at the button to go down. An elevator was already on this floor, so the doors opened and let him in. I barely wedged myself between the doors before they closed, forcing them open again so I could confront him.

"Levi-" I got the air knocked out of me as I was shoved back. It wasn't hard enough to knock me to the floor, but it was enough to get me away from the doors and stagger.

"Listen, you little shit," Levi hissed in my face. "We aren't married, so stop acting like we are!" With that, Levi went back into the elevator and shut the doors. I was left alone, standing in the hallways like an idiot while I watched the numbers of the elevator go down until he was surely on the first floor. I felt blood slip past the band aid on my forehead, but I couldn't bother to wipe it away. I was stunned into a stagnant state, and I was too afraid to move.

That really just happened.

Levi really just left.


	14. Apologies Can't Happen Both Ways

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To let anyone in on it who didn't know, I do have an FF.net account, and this story is up there. This story is also update there, but it's not here. So if you want to read some more, you are gladly welcome to go there as well and read it. ^^ I have no complaints! ;D

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter: 14** **  
** **Apologies Can't Happen Both Ways**

* * *

It was four in the morning...

And Levi still wasn't home yet.

After he left, I was able to calm his grandparents down. I gave his grandfather a cup of water and he was out cold in minutes. His grandmother took more persisting, because she felt like this was her fault. It wasn't, but she felt like it was.

She had heard most of the argument. After Levi and I left the apartment, I can't say how much she heard. It had taken me a good ten minutes to walk back into the apartment after Levi left in the elevator, and she was there and waiting to us, or me, or him. It didn't really matter. The crestfallen look that fell on her face when I walked in alone was painful to see.

I wasn't sure if she heard Levi's comment about him and I not really being married. If she had, she didn't mention anything. If she didn't... I couldn't say that I cared either way.

I didn't care. I was cold, scared, and alone. Sitting here at four in the morning, mindlessly flipping through channels, waiting for him to return, sucked all of the energy and giving a fuck I had in my body. If she knew, if she told her husband, if they forever hated me, I didn't care.

I just wanted Levi to come home.

I'll admit it. I missed him. I missed him and I was scared and worried about him. Where was he? Why was he gone so late? Was he even going to come back?

He had to. His family was here, waiting and worried just as much as I was, maybe even more. No, most definitely more and it was because of me. I had to open my mouth.

What if he was waiting for me to leave? What if he didn't want me to be here when he got back? That would be a sure fire way to get me to leave. I don't like being in places I'm obviously not wanted, and if Levi won't come home, I'm not wanted by him or his grandparents.

What if he came home and fought with me again? What if he came home, woke up his grandparents, and told them the truth about everything? That would be another full proof plan to get me to leave. Without any reasons to stay, what point was there in trying to? This wasn't my home. This wasn't my family, and I was deluding myself for thinking that it was.

But I didn't care.

I just wanted to know that Levi was safe, and then I wanted him to come home.

I wanted to tell him that I was sorry. I was sorry for slapping him, sorry for yelling, sorry for making him leave his own fucking home so late at night. I wanted to apologize for everything, but he wouldn't answer his phone. He wouldn't answer it, wouldn't answer a text; he wouldn't so much as text me back to tell me that he was safe like I was begging for.

I was scared, and I didn't know where he was, or even when he was coming back.

This sucked so much, to the point that I wanted to cry. I wouldn't, because, if his grandparents were to wake up, I didn't want to worry them.

So I sucked it up. It hurt, but I had to hold out for a little while longer...

I hoped.

I sighed, shutting the TV off. It wasn't helping me anyway, so why was I keeping it on? It was all white noise and blurred pictures to me right now. I set the remote down on the table and laid back on the throw pillows of the couch. I wanted to go back to bed, but it wouldn't be the same without Levi.

I had grown close to the warmth he provided at night. It wasn't right any other way.

Sleep, Eren,  _sleep._  I knew that, if I fell asleep, he would be back sooner. I needed to sleep, if only for a few minutes. I tossed and turned, back and forth, from one side of the couch to the other, with my feet hanging off of the edge and sitting on the rim of it. I tried sleeping with and without the pillows, but I definitely preferred sleeping with them. I even got a blanket from Levi's room, and that proved a little more helpful.

Once settled in the blanket, a pillow under my head, the television off, and the room practically dark (the dining room light was still on), I forced my eyes shut. After what could have been from minutes to hours, I felt sleep tugging at my conscious. I was greatly relieved, and I welcomed the sleep with all of my eager will. Sleep was a heavenly thing, but it only lasted two seconds.

I heard distant sounds: Feet shuffling, doors opening and closing. At first I took it for Levi's grandparents walking around and looking for him, probably hoping he was home and safe. The thought about the remorseful look on his grandmother's face or the lost puppy look in his grandfather's eyes had my gust twisting in pain, but then I realized that, that wasn't the case. I lifted my head up suddenly, listening carefully as the front door suddenly opened and shut. I heard the locks in the door click into place, and I bolted from the couch.

The light in the hall flickered on, and, when getting into the hallway, I saw Levi slipping his shoes off and tossing his keys into the basket by the door. When he realized he wasn't alone, he looked up at me, his tired and gray eyes looking into mine. Relief washed over me, and I hadn't felt the sensation of all of the energy leaving my legs like this before.

"Levi..." I sighed heavily. I left the arch way and pulled him into a embrace, knocking us both back into the door with the way the energy somehow reentered my body. He grunted when I knocked the air out of him, but the way his arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me close had tears leaking from my eyes.

I couldn't stop them, and I didn't want to. I'd given up trying to hide my pain and guilt. I was done, and I wasn't going to hold it back now that I knew Levi was safe.

"L-Levi..." I sputtered out and tightened my grip around him. "Oh Levi..."

He was here. He was here in my arms. He was alive and safe, and I wasn't alone anymore.

"It's okay, Eren," Levi whispered in my ear. I didn't think it was possible to hold him against me any tighter, but I did, and I could hear his struggle to breathe properly. He pulled back just enough to look at me, and his hands came up to cup my cheeks. "Eren stop, stop crying." He instructed in a smooth tone, though he still sounded bored.

"I-I can't..." I sobbed.

 _"I don't want to,"_  Is what I really wanted to say, but didn't have the energy or air to do it.

"Yes you can." Levi's fingers rubbed at my cheeks, clearing the wet trails my tears left and cutting them off. I pressed my forehead to his, just because I could, and I felt the need to cry more.

"I-I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!" I cried, but I tried to keep quiet. Even though he was home, I didn't want to wake up his grandparents.

"Stop it, Eren. You don't need to apologize for anything, because you haven't done anything wrong." He said, and I wanted to cry more. He wanted me to stop, but how could I when he talked like that?

"I'm sorry for slapping you, and I'm sorry for yelling, and I'm sorry for ha-"

"Eren," His voice became stern, but he kept it low. "You didn't do anything wrong. I get it; you were scared, and you didn't know why I did that. I get it, I really do. So stop crying. Save that for something important." He instructed.

I sighed and nodded my head. I took in deep and heavy gulps of air and then let them out. I probably shouldn't have been breathing on his face; lord only knows how bad it smelled.

"That's better," He said softly and wiped away he remaining tears.

"I'm sorry," I sighed.

"How many times do I have to tell you to knock that off? If anyone should apologize, it's me." Levi said.

"Y-You didn't do anything wrong..." I mumbled.

"I shouldn't have blown up on you the way I did. I shouldn't have slapped you either. You had every right to slap me, because I deserved it. I was being a real shit back there." He argued. "So I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong." I said again.

"We can't have it both ways here, brat. It's either one of our faults, or none. I know for sure that it's not yours, so take your pick." He said, and the faintest of smirks appeared on his lips.

"How about neither of us?" I asked while shrugging my shoulders.

"That'll work," Levi nodded in agreement and pulled away. He made his way to the living room, and I followed like a lost, little puppy. Levi slid on a light, making the room lights dim, but bright enough for me to see where I was going. He plopped onto the couch with a heavy groan, and he relaxed by laying back on it.

I watched and waited, waiting for what he would do or say next. He shifted a couple of times, sounds from sighs to groans to grumbles to curses leaving him as he adjusted himself on the couch. When he finally found a comfortable position to lay in, he finally looked up at me, eyes staring at me in an almost confused way. I hadn't done anything different; I was just standing here, so why was he giving me that look?

"What are you waiting for?" Levi asked and opened up his arms. "Hurry up. I know you want to, so do it before I change my mind."

No need to tell me twice. I fell into his arms and buried my face into the crook of his neck. His warmth was electrifying, and I found myself booming with energy and unbelievably tired all at the same time. His scent was intoxicating, but it was masked away by the musty smell of cigarettes and alcohol. The smell of the cigarettes were dull and dim, so it was obvious that he had been around people who smoked and not him himself smoking. However, every time he breathed, I smelled the hard scent of alcohol lacing his breath, not to mention that it seemed like his clothes were doused in the scent.

He had been drinking.

"Better...?" He sighed.

"Much..." I mumbled into his shoulder. I tightened my arms around him and breathed in deeply. I didn't care if he smelled like a gross bar; he was here and safe. That's all that mattered to me.

"That's good..." He settled into the couch, one hand leisurely sitting on my hips and the other under my head, currently being used as a pillow. That hand shifted, and I felt his fingers whisk through my hair, his nails ever so gently scraping against my scalp. The sensation gave me goose bumps and made my eyes close.

I sighed against his neck, feeling relief wash over me, followed by a close set of exhaustion and humor. Why humor? Well, the way I had seen it, after going over the night's affairs, I found everything too funny, and I didn't even notice that I was letting it show.

"What's so funny?" He asked, his irritation obvious. I snickered; tried holding in my laughter, but it was a little too late for that. "Eren-!" He growled.

"I-I'm sorry…" I mumbled between my laughing.

"What the hell is so fucking funny?" He asked. Ah, the typical drunken Levi and his swearing.

"Heh, hey, Levi, do you realize that we just got into our first fight as a married couple?" I asked and chuckled for a moment. Levi had a blank expression on his face with a bored stare in his eyes, and, for a moment, I assumed that he didn't care for the joke, nor did he find it funny, but, after a moment, a smile spread on his lips.

"Idiot," He retorted and scoffed. I grinned up at him, but he pushed my head back down onto his arm and kept it there. His fingers began running through my hair, and I closed my eyes, my laughter settling. There was a rumble in his chest against his heartbeat in my ear, and I took it for his laughter. I was glad to see he found this funny, even if he didn't find it as funny as I did. It was still something, and it brought a smile to his lips.

I could have easily fallen asleep like this. With his heartbeat in my ear, his breath fanning against my face, ear, and the nape of my neck, and just the fact that he was here, safe and in my arms, it was like a mothers lullaby, one I hadn't heard in years. I would have easily fallen asleep if it weren't for Levi suddenly moving around and kissing my forehead.

My blood went cold and my heart was thrown into overdrive. My cheeks flushed deeply, and I hadn't realized that I missed the sensation of his lips on my body until now, until I hadn't had it in days and suddenly got it back. I shouldn't have liked it as much as I did, but I did, and I was happy to have this back in my life.

How long would it last? I could only wonder. I knew the kiss itself lasted a few seconds, but would I be allowed to indulge in more in the near future?

Really, I had to stop thinking that way. This wasn't mine to keep. Levi and I weren't really married, as he said, and this wasn't my family. His great grandparents weren't mine, this home wasn't mine, and Levi wasn't mine. I didn't have any of this in my real life.

But couldn't I pretend that, just for this moment in time, this was my real life?

The dreadful thoughts hurt more than I cared to admit. I had to distract myself to get away from them, and the kiss was just the perfect distraction. I looked at Levi to find his eyes closed and his face relaxed in comfort. I could tell sleep was clinging to his beaten senses, but I wasn't done with him yet. I looked around the dimly lit room, but I didn't find what I was looking for.

"Your grandparents aren't here..." I informed quietly, expecting an answer as to why he kissed me without a reason. There was a pause, a sure sign that Levi was processing the statement and then trying to create a response with his fuzzy mind. It took him, at _least,_  fifteen seconds to come up with a reply.

"I know..." He mumbled.

"Levi...?" I said, trying to get his attention, but it was too late. He had fallen asleep in seconds, leaving me to my uncontrolled thoughts. "Levi..." I sighed quietly, more to myself than him.

I dropped my head back into his neck and sighed again. I didn't get my answer, but that was okay. I still had this moment here, and that was fine. I needed to remind myself that I needed to savor and enjoy this moment.

Because it wasn't going to last.

Going over the time in my head, I counted out the days I had left here with my faux family. My heart dropped to where my stomach was supposed to be, and my stomach went up into my throat where it shouldn't have been.

As of now, I only had four days left.


	15. The Past that Haunts Him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, here comes Levi's past. You're about to ride an emotional roller coaster...
> 
> The feels...
> 
> Lots of trigger warnings too... Just saying...

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter: 15** **  
**

**The Past that Haunts Him**

* * *

It was still dark, but bright enough for me to whine in my comatose state. I was so comfortable, so comfortable and warm, but the sun was coming up, meaning it was time to get up. I didn't want to get up. I was perfectly fine being situated on Levi, my head on his chest where his heartbeat drummed loudly, my arms resting around his waist and ribs, and his arms around my back in a protective manner. The safety I felt here, I had never felt before in my life, and I didn't want to lose it.

The longer I slept, the longer I could have this, and the longer I could have this, the longer I could be happy. I didn't want this to end yet, but fate was cruel.

I heard voices. At first they were very quiet, barely a whisper, but, as I woke up more, they got louder. I clutched at Levi's shirt between my hands and whined again, but I still heard the talking. Whoever it was, was obviously not taking my pathetic warnings. In my head, they made total sense.

 _"Wake me up and Levi will kick your ass!"_  Of course I was too tired to actually say this, and I knew Levi really wouldn't do that. Without getting my answers from my protests, I forced my eyes open.

All hell broke loose.

I can honestly say that the pair of big, black eyes directly in my face scared the shit out of me. It scared me and yanked a scream from me as I sat up from Levi's chest. I unknowingly forced my hand into Levi's ribcage, knocking the air out of him and waking him up. He groaned, and, after realization dawned on me that it was just Levi's grandmother two inches from my face, I reeled out the apologies to Levi, sitting up slighting, but remaining in his lap as he forced himself up.

"I'm so sorry, Levi! I didn't mean that," I apologized and pressed my right hand to his chest. The other was against his neck, feeling the warm, welcoming, and inviting skin beneath my fingertips.

"It's okay," He coughed out, tiny, little gasps and wheezes leaving him as he tried to regain his breath.

"I told you not to do that." Levi's grandfather suddenly spoke up, but it was muttered and quiet, directed more to his wife than us.

"Oh my, did I wake you up, dear?" She asked, still keeping her close proximity.

"Yes,  _that time_  you woke me up." I grumbled begrudgingly. I was so comfortable, and I could have cursed her if I didn't care so much about her.

"Fuck, what the hell are you two doing?" Levi asked his great grandparents as he fell back against the arm of the couch.

"You two were asleep for so long. If you slept any longer, you would be up late." His grandmother said.

"What time is it now?" I asked and rubbed my tired eyes. I was still so tired.

"Four in the afternoon." She informed.

"Four...? Fuck, we slept in..." Levi groaned.

"You're complaining?" I asked with a cheeky grin while placing my hands against his hips.

"... No, not really." He sighed. I hummed in agreement and fell over to place my head on his shoulder. Levi's arms wrapped around me, a hand sneaking under the rim of my shirt and giving me chills. I kissed his throat, and I heard him chuckle and felt the smile on his cheeks. A cough from his great grandfather suddenly brought me back to reality, but I had a lingering question in the back of my head.

Since when had the line between acting and reality been crossed?

"What...?" Levi grumbled irritably.

"So does this mean everything is okay between you two?" Levi's grandmother asked. I saw the look in her eyes, the look of worry and regret, and I felt terrible to say the least.

"I told you last night that it was an argument. Couples are entitled to them all the time. It just means that we have a healthy relationship." I said and lifted my head. "Didn't you and grandpa ever argue about anything?"

"No, never," His grandmother replied.

"Bullshit,  _bullshit,_ " Levi retorted by my ear and I chuckled at him.

"Shush, Levi. He was talking to us, not you." Levi's grandmother said and swatted at his hand that was sitting on my back.

"Uh huh, sure. When are we getting breakfast?" He asked to deter the conversation.

"No breakfast. I can make a late lunch, and that's it."

"No dinner?" I whined.

"No, no, dinner too, but no breakfast." His grandmother poked at my nose before standing, but not without some help from her husband. He pulled her up onto her thin legs and helped her over to the kitchen, but I heard the way she whimpered as she walked out.

It was getting harder and harder for her to walk at all. I knew she didn't want to use her wheelchair, and I knew she despised it, but the pain of walking was becoming too great a pain at all.

I heard Levi sigh above me. I pulled myself away from the depressing thoughts and looked up at Levi, who had taken to rubbing the back of my head while he looked at me. His dark-blue eyes, his enticing stare, the hands on my head and back; all of them were so hypnotizing. Was he doing this on purpose?

"So... Are we okay then?" I asked him quietly. Levi nodded his head, and I felt weight lift off of my shoulders.

"As okay as we've ever been." He replied. I smiled and sat up, and, in the process, Levi's hands fell to my hips. I could have been paranoid, but I swore that he was a little more hands-on this morning... Er,  _afternoon._ It could have been me thinking it, but it definitely seemed that way.

Maybe his grandparents were watching us right now? Maybe they could still hear or see us from the kitchen, and Levi was just putting on a show for them? It was that or he really was being handsy.

"I'm glad... I was really worried about you last night, you know..." I mentioned.

"I know, and I shouldn't have done it. It wasn't fair to you or my grandparents." He said.

"You could have at least told me you were safe..." I mumbled. Levi stayed quiet after that, his eyes simply staring into mine. I turned my head to the kitchen when I heard pots and pans moving around in the room. I could scarcely make out Levi's grandfather by the fridge, but that was it. Was this really an act?

"Eren," Levi said, making me turn to look at him. "Could you get off of me now? I need to go take a piss." A simple statement for Levi, but not so much for me, and it had me blushing from ear to ear.

"R-Right, sorry," I apologized and finally got off of him. I sat back on the other side of the couch as Levi got up and left the room, leaving me behind. I sighed, temporarily getting the scent of food into my lungs. It smelled delicious, overwhelming my tired senses and making me dizzy. I dropped my head down on the rim of the couch and relaxed, just giving myself the time to take in the smells and scents around me. I did that and looked around, taking everything into memory.

This was going to end soon. All of this was going to be gone, and I would be back to my dingy apartment with Mikasa. Don't get me wrong; I love my sister and I love the life we've built together, but I've always wanted better for her, for us. Getting a chance to live that better life was wonderful, and it made me wish that Mikasa could be here too. She needed this just as much as I did.

Though I wouldn't have this for long, this made me want it more. I wanted to work harder for it, so then, when I graduated college, Mikasa and I could live in a place as big as this. Maybe, when Armin graduated, he could be with us too, and then it would be just the three of us like the good old days again. What would we do with the enormous space? Hell if I knew. I didn't understand what Levi did in such a big place all by himself.

But, now that I have had a taste of this life, it would be hard to acclimate back into that old life. Getting used to something better was always easy: A better car, a better phone, a better house, a better neighborhood. Getting back into the old way things and the way they were done was tough: The expensive bills, the car that broke down on me every fifteen minutes, the frightening apartment building I lived in where police frequently visited.

I didn't want that for Mikasa _or_  Armin. I wanted us as a whole family again. That's all I wanted.

"Eren, darling," His grandmother suddenly popped her head out of the kitchen to look at me, making me jump in place from surprise. "Would you hate it ever so much if we got fast food tonight instead?" She asked.

"No, I wouldn't mind, but why?" I questioned with a tilt of my head.

"Levi is running out of food here. We can go shopping for food tomorrow, but tonight we can order some food." She said.

Wasn't she just cooking something?

"Yeah, that'd be great." I offered up a smile that brightened hers significantly.

"That is good then!" She disappeared back into the kitchen and I sighed. I turned away, reaching for the remote for the TV to turn it on. I needed a distraction, anything so I wouldn't have to worry about the future. I just needed to keep one goal in mind, and that was it.

Work hard for the family I need to take care of. Keep that goal in mind, and nothing else.

I turned the TV on and flipped through the channels, looking for something to keep me entertained. It didn't surprise me that, when I turned to the cartoons, my cares went away. I was a kid at heart, or maybe it was because I never got to be a kid. It didn't matter; it made me feel better, and that was all I cared for.

"Okay, Eren," Levi's grandfather walked into the room, followed by his grandmother who was now sitting in her wheelchair. I knew she wouldn't last much longer on her feet. "We are going to go pick up food." He informed.

"Oh, alright," I said and stood up. "I'll come with you then."

"Oh no, no, Eren. You stay here and relax. We'll be back in no time." His grandmother assured.

"Oh... Is Levi going with you?" Did he want to stay away from me?

"No, it is just us." His grandfather replied.

"How will you get there?"

"We can take a cab. We know what we are doing, Eren." His grandmother mused. I watched Levi's grandfather push his wife along and out of the room, and I stood still for a moment, my head cocked to the side in confusion. I heard them leave the apartment, and I blinked a few times.

"What just happened...?" I questioned quietly to myself. Did Levi know his great grandparents were doing this? I knew they were far over the age to cross a street, but New York City wasn't necessarily a normal city, and it had lots of streets, lots of busy streets. Was it okay to really let them go alone?

I scratched at the back of my head in confusion as I sat back down on the couch, crossing my arms over the chest. I couldn't even focus on the cartoons now. I was too busy wondering why his grandparents left without us.

"Eren...?" Levi's voice said. I looked over the rim of the couch to see Levi standing in the opening to the living room. He had his shoulder pressed against the wooden archway, his head laying against it, and he had changed into a new set of clothes. I considered that a good thing; his other clothes smelled terrible. "Did they leave?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah, they said they were going to get food. Did you know they were leaving?" I asked. Levi nodded his head and walked into the room.

"Yeah, I knew." He replied.

"Shouldn't we go with them?" I asked as he sat on the couch beside me.

"No, it's okay. They're old, but they know how to get around. If anything bad happens, they'll talk any mugger's ears off." He retorted. I laughed, but I didn't see the usual smirk on his lips that normally came with a joke from him.

He was acting strange too. He was quiet, like he normally is, but the air was denser, thicker. He looked tired, more tired than when he woke up, and he seemed very distant in an odd sort of way.

What, was it a full moon?

I thought it would be best not to pry. I turned my attention back to the cartoons and tried distracting myself, but it didn't help much. Levi was just sitting there, and I could feel his stare weighing heavy on me. I swallowed quietly, trying to keep my attention on the TV, but I wasn't working. I wanted to look at him from the corner of my eyes, but what if I did, and he really was looking at me? I didn't want to blush like an idiot more than I already was.

This silence was killing me. At some point, I had tuned out the cartoons, ignoring them completely. I began fidgeting in place, sitting back into the couch, but his eyes followed me. I opened my mouth, prepared to end it. I didn't like this crushing pressure, and, as I was about to speak, Levi moved. He sat forward, grabbing the remote from where it sat by my leg and turned the TV off.

"Hey, I was watching that." I whined. Levi set the remote down on the coffee table and pulled his arm out from behind me. When had his arm gotten there? In his hand was a piece of photo gloss paper, and I watched as he held it out for me.

I looked at him first, confirming that it was okay to take it. He nodded, and I reached out with my slightly shaky hand to grab it. I looked at it, and I instantly recognized the photo. It was the photo of Isabel and Levi that had been in that picture frame, the one that had promptly gnawed a gash into my forehead.

Why was he showing me this?

"Uhm... W-What is this?" I asked.

"A picture. Isn't it obvious?" Levi retorted without his usual smirk.

"I know that. I meant why are you showing me this?" I reworded. "If this is about the frame, I'll buy a new one, Levi." I offered, and Levi smiled, but it seemed bitter.

"That's not what this is about." He huffed. Was he trying to laugh? He seemed too angry for that. Well, not angry per say, but definitely upset.

"What is it then?" I asked.

"... This... Is a picture of my little sister and I... But I guess you kind of knew that, didn't you?" He looked away to the floor for a moment, leaving silence between us. The air was getting thicker, and I didn't understand why that was happening.

"Levi...?" I said quietly. Levi looked back up at me, and that distant look returned, giving me a sense of fear.

"I thought... That you deserved an explanation for why I acted the way I acted..." He said. My eyes widened slightly; was he saying what I think he was saying? Was he going to tell me what had happened to Isabel? "I mean, I already kind of said some things that I shouldn't have, and it's not fair to you to leave it at that." He was.

"You don't have to." I said, setting the picture down on the table. Levi's eyes looked tired, defeated, and I feared that with everything in my body. I had never seen Levi look this way before, and I was afraid for him, afraid for his sanity, and for his life.

"No, I should..." He said. I heard what he really meant though; what he really meant, but didn't have the strength to say.

_"I want to."_

"Levi..." I clasped his hand tightly in mine and looked him straight in the face, but his eyes were down, looking away. "Levi, please... Look at me...?" I pleaded.

Levi's eyes blinked slowly before looking back up at me. He still looked so defeated and lost, and I couldn't help the frown on my lips.

"Levi," I whimpered. "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to say, but... I can't stand you looking like this. It'll make you feel better if you say something, but I'm not forcing you either. I just can't-"

"Shut up, Eren." He hissed, or rather, growled. Maybe it was both. I didn't let go of his hand, but I did stop talking, as he requested. Levi rubbed the bridge of his nose with his free hand, the obvious irritation blatant on his face. Silence was heavy in the room, and I almost spoke up again, but he stopped me. The first thing to come out of him was a click of his tongue.

"I'll tell you everything, just give me a minute." I nodded my head to his words. "It's been years since I've tried remembering any of this shit..." I adjusted my spot on the couch, getting comfortable. I had a feeling that this talk was going to be a long one. Levi then laid his head back against the rim of the couch, eyes half lidded in heavy thought. I could feel him tighten his hand around mine just before speaking.

"Alright, so I already fucked myself over by saying things about my past..." Levi opened his eyes a little more to look at me, and I nodded my head. "When my grandmother, my mother's mom and my great grandmothers daughter, died from cancer, my mother just fell apart. She fell into the wrong crowd, and my dad went with her... It should be obvious that I lived in a shitty home after that."

"I guess..." I mumbled.

"So... All the things I said were true. My father raped me and... When they needed drug money, they sold me off to anyone who wanted a fix..." His hands bawled into fists, and I saw the anger flash across his face.

"Did you ever tell your great grandparents?" I asked.

"Of course I did. They saw the bruises and marks, and they knew about what was happening to me."

"So why didn't they do anything?" I asked, anger boiling in my body.

"They did. They told police and children's services, but who believes a ten year old and his great grandparents who are bordering senility? They thought that I just fought a lot in school, that I got bullied and had the bruises to prove it. They didn't believe me no matter what I said..." The story hit me hard.

I knew where he was coming from, because I had been there before. When I had attempted to tell someone about my father, they never believed me. I was the type of kid who got into a lot of fights, so they thought that that's where the bruises came from. No matter how much I spoke out, no one ever listened. Levi was right. Who would listen to a ten year old?

I took Levi's hand in mine, untangling his fist so I could weave our fingers together. His muscles relaxed, and I felt a bit of relief. I was able to do something for him, even if it was significant.

"So that's what happened with them..."

"What happened after that though? How did you get away?" I asked.

"... I was sixteen at the time. One night had been particularly bad. After he..." His voice shook slightly. "After he was done, I ran away and went to my grandparent's house. I couldn't be there anymore, I just couldn't. I begged them to hide me and keep me away from them, and they said they were going to fight for me." His voice shook again.

I tightened my grip on his hand, trying to reassure him, but there was only so much I could do. I couldn't say anything. How could I? I didn't know what would make him feel better and what would set him off.

"They wouldn't let it happen anymore." He finished, his voice shaking again. "And they were right."

"What happened?" I asked.

"My parents were so livid with me, hating me for leaving... And they were so  _high._ They overdosed before coming to get me..." He looked down at the floor for a moment before continuing. "And I didn't even go to the hospital to see them..."

"So... You mean-"

"They died." Levi finished for me. "The coroner said that they didn't suffer, but that's what I was told. They were probably sparing the details about their death from me..."

"Oh Levi... I-I'm so sorry..." I wanted to hug him. I wanted to hold him close and take care of him. I wanted him to, at least, show some emotions. This facade he had going was scaring me, like he really didn't care.

He had to; I knew he did. He wouldn't be so choked up right now if he truly didn't care.

"No, don't pity me." Levi pulled his hand from my grasp and said. I huffed and pulled it back into mine, lacing our fingers together and then clasping my other hand over his to keep it there. I wasn't letting him off that easy.

"I'm not giving you pity. I'm upset for you. I'm sad and I'm worried... People  _do care_  for you, Levi." I dared to say. I was probably risking my neck trying to state that fact, but it was the truth.

He needed to hear it.

Levi sighed, his head tilting slightly until it fell against the rim of the couch again. He was quiet for a moment, and I wondered if that was all I was going to hear from him. When he looked up at him, I realized that this wasn't the case. He was waiting for me to ask what happened next, and that's what I did.

"So... After that...?" I asked hesitantly.

"After that..." He sighed. "I tried getting on with life, but I couldn't be around there anymore. It was all too familiar, and the familiar wasn't what I needed."

"That's why you came to America." The pieces of the puzzle fit together instantly.

"Yeah, and that's it. I guess you don't know about the shit I did when I got here, right? That wasn't something I accidentally spilled, was it?" He asked, trying to be sarcastic, but I saw past that. He was trying to hide.

"No, you didn't say anything." Beyond Levi's leave, I knew nothing. Once again, Levi took in a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. He was preparing himself, and I could tell.

The story was  _far_  from over.

"Alright, so I tried school, but that shit was nothing. Your school systems were inadequate and I found myself bored all of the time, so any typical teenager would start causing trouble. Eventually, I just dropped out. It wasn't any of my concern. After that, well... I had nowhere else to go. Nearly got myself killed by a gang until they saw how I could fight. To my...  _"Fortunate_ " luck, the boss was there."

"He was impressed, so he made a deal." Join us and we'll take care of you." I was sixteen with no family in the country and nowhere else to go, so I didn't know any better. They took care of me, and I was their best..." Levi trailed off, eyes slowly fading in and out. I could see the memories flashing through him, like he was vividly reliving everything. He remained quiet for a few moments.

"What happened, Levi?" I asked, my hand rubbing his wrist.

"... At the time, I assumed everything I was doing was right. We were better than cops, better than the law. We made other gangs tremble at our feet and fix what they fucked up. One day, during a drug raid, we found out that the bastard who owed us money was selling people off. At first, they weren't our concern, so we ignored them. I saw a lot of shit, Eren, shit that someone like you would gladly take your life over theirs." He barely looked up at me, but I knew that he was referring to my past.

"So I ignored everything and everyone. Just do my job and I can get back to bed, but then..." He trailed off again.

"What happened?" I asked, unconsciously moving closer to him.

"While we were going through rooms, I found... This little girl... She wasn't any older than ten, bawled up in the corner with only an oversized shirt to cover her up. I just saw her, and... Something clicked. Something just clicked into place, and I realized what I was doing, where I was, how I got there,  _who_  I was becoming." I knew who he was referring to.

He was referring to his parents.

"I don't know what happened. I really don't. She didn't say anything; she just looked at me, and... I don't know what or how it happened really. It was just like realization slapped me across my face. I dropped my gun, I dropped the drugs I had on me, I picked the little girl up and I got the fuck out of there."

"… You ran away," I mumbled.

" _That,_  I did." He equally mumbled.

"Where did you go?" I asked, remembering that he previously said he had nowhere to go.

"At the time, I only knew one person who could come close to being considered as a friend, and that was Petra. I had met her in school, so I knew where I could find her. So I went there, showed up at her door, drenched in rain with a little girl in my arms and begged for help." The mental image forming in my head of the situation was absolutely terrifying.

"What did she do? What did her parents do?" I asked.

"Petra didn't live with her parents. I was never exact on the story, but apparently she had a falling out with them and said she'd live on her own. She sure showed them well, because she had her own apartment with her own things... Balanced a job and school..."

"Wish I knew how to do that." I said with a small smile. "I couldn't live without Mikasa, even with my job."

"Impressive, isn't it?" He cracked a small smirk.

"Yeah... So, what happened then?" I hesitantly asked.

"The idiot took me in." He said bluntly. "Her father was a detective, so she asked him to look for the little girl. We lost her tracks after five, but her name was Isabel Magnolia. She suddenly went missing before she went to kindergarten, and here she was being sold through human trafficking."

"How in the hell did she get there?" I wondered aloud. Levi simply sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. She never said. I don't think she remembered what happened." He said.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Because no matter what I said, no matter what anyone said, nothing seemed to be a trigger for her. She had no aftereffects of anything she went through, whatever it had been. Nothing set her off. Nothing scared her. Besides a few night terrors and her set back in education, that was all. She was a relatively normal girl." He explained.

"Maybe she really didn't remember anything then..." I suggested quietly.

"What do you mean?" I hadn't even realized that I spoke my thoughts out loud again until he said that.

"I mean... Sometimes our brains will shut down, and we won't even focus on anything. I don't know how to explain it, but maybe she shut herself down, and when you saved her, she started paying attention again. Maybe she really didn't remember anything, because she wasn't mentally there." I explained, but the proper words were escaping me, leaving my explanation full of holes. "I know, when my mom died, I blacked out completely. I just woke up one morning, and two months had suddenly gone by."

"I don't remember anything of what happened between that timespan. I don't remember Mikasa begging me to get out of the house and live, I don't remember Armin staying by my side for days on end, or even sleeping right next to me, and I don't remember even going to my mother's funeral, so... Maybe that's what happened."

"To be in that kind of mental trauma..." Levi mumbled.

"It's a serious drop in our lives." I muttered. "But it can be a plus. Whatever happened to her, she obviously didn't remember. Maybe that could be a good thing."

"Maybe..." Levi sighed before suddenly leaning over and dropping his head on my shoulder. I tensed, startled by the sudden contact, but, when I realized that all he was doing was laying his head down on me, I relaxed and put my arm around his shoulders.

"So what happened after that? I mean, what about the gang, the drugs, school?" I asked.

"The gang was weird, because I never heard from them again. I don't know what happened, but they were gone from my life, and I haven't heard from them since." Levi said, but it was muffled with the way he was sitting against me. "The drugs were another story entirely."

"Why is that?" I asked. Levi shifted in place, trying to find a better position with the way he was sitting. It must have put a strain on his neck.

"Because there was no weaning off of the drugs, Eren. I dumped them when I found Isabel, so I was left with the painful withdrawals." He explained.

"Oh..." I had heard of those. I didn't have experience to that, but I could have guessed what it was like. "What was it like?"

"Like constipation." I chuckled at his language, but I assumed that there was some truth to that. "I don't know, it fucking sucked. I sucked it up during the day so Isabel wouldn't see anything, but as soon as she was asleep, I just writhed and suffered like the shit face I was."

"Don't say that, Levi. That's not true." I said. Levi simply smirked in reply, but I knew he was really hiding a frown.

"It's true. I was a fucked up person. Ask Petra and you'll know. There were nights where she kept me from trying to kill myself; it was that terrible." I swallowed a bitter taste in my mouth, vile like his words. The thought that Levi ever tried to kill himself was frightening beyond my belief.

"But you got through it." I stated. "You made it out alive, and you did it."

"Not without her and Isabel's help though. Had it not been for them..." He trailed off once again, and I knew what he was thinking, he just didn't say it out loud.

 _"I would have killed myself..."_  Is what I heard.

"One night, probably one of the worst nights through my withdrawal, I was really on edge. I was lying in bed, and Petra just kept saying that I had to keep fighting, that I didn't need the drugs. My body wanted it, I wanted it, but  _I_  didn't want it. I tried listening, but it hurt. It physically hurt not to have them in my system." I pulled back so I could look Levi in the face, but he had his eyes closed, and his breathing had become deep and shallow.

He was fighting, fighting not to break in front of me. This particular memory was more impacting than others, more vivid and dreary, and he was fighting to remain calm.

"Levi..." I sighed and ran my fingers through the fringe of his hair. A smaller hand pressed against my chest, another on my knee before he continued.

"I hadn't even realized that Isabel never fell asleep, and if she had, she heard me screaming. She came into the room, sat on the bed, and then just... She just held my hand. Petra told her to go back to bed, but she wouldn't leave my side... I think she knew that she did something for me when we met, and she was trying to help again. I don't know really, but... She got me through the night. I held onto her and just pushed past it."

"She helped you." I continued running my fingers through his hair, just to make sure he stayed calm.

"She did... She was a really weird kid honestly, but she saved me more than I care to admit." He said. I smiled to him; of course he wouldn't admit it. "Anyway, she saved me." He concluded.

"What about her parents? I mean... You found out who she was."

"They sold her off for drug money." He simply explained. "Then they were arrested when she went missing. Once I found that out, I just decided to keep her. I wasn't putting her in some messed up foster system; fuck that shit. Besides, she said she wanted to stay with me. I wasn't going against her wishes."

"Or maybe you couldn't let go of someone so important." I wiggled my eyebrows in a tempting manner, and Levi simply rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"Whatever, you brat. The point is I kept her."

"Where did you go after that?" I asked.

"Petra let us stay. She had a spare room, so that became Isabel's room."

"And you slept with your girlfriend." I continued to wiggle my eyebrows, to which Levi shoved at my shoulder, but it didn't hurt. It was more of a playful push.

"Yes, but it wasn't like that at first. I stayed on the couch for so-"

"Not a good place to sleep with your girlfriend."

"Shut up, Eren." Levi couldn't resist a small smile, and it warmed my heart to see it. I'd gotten through, and he got to say stuff he hadn't said in years. Without even sleep or food, he looked better. Not physically; I'm not sure how to explain it. He just looked better, like the weight of the world was off of his shoulders. The fact that he let a real smile slip proved it.

Talking had helped him. It wasn't everything; I was sure of it, but it was a lot for someone like Levi, especially after carrying it all for so long. I was content with this information for now.

"She was important..." I simply stated.

"Yeah..." He sighed, his head falling into his palm while his arm sat against the rim of the couch.

"So, when did she start referring to you as a big brother?" I asked. I knew I was fine with the information I had, but it was a simple question. It wasn't going to lead to a long story; I was sure of it.

"I have no clue. One day she said it, and after that, she just referred to me by it. People who didn't know us thought we were crazy, or had different parents." I laughed at his statement. I probably wouldn't have believed them either had I not known the story. "Farlan never believed us either, but he learned fast." He continued.

"How did you meet Farlan?" I asked, tilting my head.

"He was just another kid looking to get out of the gangs. I guess he heard that I got out and he wanted help. I thought, at first, that this was my gang trying to get me back, but no, he was just looking for help. He wasn't even important to them. Besides a beer every now and again, he didn't do shit. No drugs, no cigarettes; he was totally clean."

"So what made him suddenly join?" I asked.

"No parents... We were just a bunch of misfits." I chuckled again at Levi's explanation.

"Sounds kind of nice, you know, having friends who were in the same boat as you." I said.

"It definitely made things easier." Levi rolled his head to the side, his hand reaching up to rub at his head. He must have been exhausted from all of this, and I wouldn't blame him. I reached up and grabbed at his hand, doing nothing but holding onto it for comfort. I heard no complaints, but I did see a small smile, and that prompted me to smile more.

I'd done it. I'd gotten through to him. I helped, even if it was minuscule in aspect. I had helped him.

"I know you're curious, so you can ask." Levi suddenly said. I tilted my head to the side, thinking hard about it. He was right; I did have a question, but was it too much to ask him? He may have been acting like it didn't bother him, but I saw past that facade. I knew it was killing him on the inside, so would it be too much? I don't know how to handle it if he really did start crying.

"You can ask. I won't break... I know I'm small, but I'm stronger than I look." He tried to smirk at his statement, but it was bitter and cold. How could I believe him when he looked and sounded like that?

"... What happened to them, Levi?" I was hesitant on asking. I would hate knowing that I was the cause of him suffering, even if it wasn't me. I brought it up, and the memories were still there. They still hurt him. Was bringing up his past really a good thing?

"... I fucked up." Levi's eyes had fallen to the floor as he spoke, and his voice had drifted into almost a whisper. "We were driving home one day and... I didn't see the other guy serve to avoid hitting an animal. He crashed right into us and we... We went into a ditch..." His breath hitched in his throat as if he was trying harder not to break down.

I wouldn't let him.

I pulled Levi close, forcing his head to fall on my shoulder. I didn't force him to hug me; he did it on his own, but his grip was weak and flimsy. Was that all he could do?

"I kept telling her to put her fucking seat belt on." He hissed against my ear.

"It wasn't your fault." I said, pulling back slightly to look him in the eyes. "None of that was your fault."

"I should have seen it coming."

"And done what? Swerved into another ditch? Into another family?" I asked. "Levi, there was nothing you could do."

 _"You don't know that!"_  He snapped.

"You're right, I don't, but it's over." Fuck, bad choice of words. "Levi, do you really think Isabel and Farlan would want you to hate yourself for something that wasn't your fault?"

"You don't know anything about them, you little shit!" Levi abruptly stood up and yelled at me. I wasn't letting him get off that easy.

"You're right, Levi. That's why Isabel sat with you for your withdrawals, because she hated you and wanted to watch you suffer. Or why Farlan stayed with you and helped you raise Isabel, because he wanted to cause you trouble." I knew I was right, and so did Levi. He was left speechless, only looking at the ground as if it had a better argument, or, at  _least,_  some answers.

He wasn't going to find them there.

Levi sat back down, looking utterly defeated, spent, and tired. I reached out and grabbed his hand, and, this time, he curled his fingers in with mine. I squeezed lightly around his hand, and he did the same.

"You know I'm right, Levi." I said quietly. Levi sighed quietly, his head falling forward again to rest on my shoulder. I closed my eyes as I cradled his head against me, and I faintly heard his breathing stagger. Was he trying to remain calm, or was he just letting go of his restraints?

"Fuck you, Eren..." He mumbled against my shoulder. I smiled slightly and pulled back to look at him. His eyes were red and glassy; he just needed one more push and he'd break down; I knew it, but I wasn't one to push.

He'd told his story. That was all I needed to know for now. If he wanted to tell me more he could, but not now. Now he needed to rest. Even though we both slept in past four, it didn't matter. We were both tired from being up so late into the night.

"Stop petting me. You're making me feel nauseous." Levi grumbled. I hadn't even realized that I was "petting" him until he pointed out. It wasn't even really petting; I was running my fingers through his hair, occasionally applying some pressure and massaging his scalp.

"You've done it to me plenty of times." I pointed out.

"That's you, not me." He sighed and closed his eyes. I looked away for a moment to the picture I had put down on the coffee table. I picked it up and looked at it, examining the picture. "Petra surprised me when she took the picture." He mumbled.

"Is that why you look like a deer caught in headlights?" I asked with a laugh.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't have said it like that."

"How would you have put it?" I asked.

"Like someone on crack." He said and I burst out laughing. I definitely wouldn't have put it that way.

"Sure, Levi," I said. I held up the picture a little more, examining the girl in it. Her shoulder length hair pulled into two pony tails, her big, green eyes, and her toothy grin took up most of the picture. Poor Levi was just in the background eating a bowl of soup. "So, what resemblance is it here that your grandmother is seeing?" I asked myself.

"What do you mean?" Levi asked.

"Your grandmother says I remind her of your little sister. What is it she's seeing?" I asked a little louder.

"Your eyes," Levi bluntly answered. I looked to him, tilting my head to the side in confusion.

"My eyes...? Do you mean the color of them?" That was all I saw.

"That too, but it's the look in your eyes. You have a very similar determination in them that Isabel had." My head tilted further to the side. "It's why I hired you to begin with. I know how she used to work, so I knew how you would too."

"So, it's not so much looks, but what we have...?" I couldn't really put it into words. I couldn't even fathom the compliment he just gave me.

"So to say." Levi shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't get it."

"I know. You probably won't either." Levi sighed as he sat up straight, but his eyes stayed on the photo.

I really didn't get it.

"I wish you had more pictures of her. Maybe I would understand it if I could see some others." I suggested. I saw Levi's eyes flicker with something familiar, but I didn't know what.

"... I've got something better." He announced. He stood from the couch, and, on reflex, I followed him as he walked out of the room. Levi opened up the closet in the hallway, the one I had previously opened by mistake, and looked around inside. The ruined picture frame was nowhere to be seen, but Levi didn't seem interested in that.

He pulled out one of the boxes and opened it. Inside of it was a bunch of school books, but they seemed like they were meant for a fifth grader instead of someone my age. Levi simply closed the box and went to the next one. Inside this one was a few video tapes, a couple of children's books, and a piece of paper carefully stuck between a book and the wall of the box. I sat down by Levi, looking at him and seeing the curious gleam in his eyes as he pulled the piece of paper out.

On the piece of paper was a picture of Levi sleeping on the couch, his head resting in the palm of his hand which was resting against the arm of the couch. A blanket was over his legs, and he appeared so peaceful, but I noticed something odd about the picture. This picture wasn't just a photo; it was a drawing. It was a drawing of Levi.

Levi smiled and held the picture up for me to look at.

"Isabel drew this when she was eleven." He said. I honestly didn't believe him at first, and I scoffed at him and the idea of it, but, after looking closer at the picture, I could see the smears of ink along the paper. "She did it with a ballpoint pen."

"You're kidding, right?" I asked and took the picture from him to examine it closer.

"No, ask Petra; she watched her do it."

"Holy shit! At eleven I was drawing stick figures!"

"So was I. I told you that she was a really weird kid." Levi's smile seemed to widen, and my heart felt lighter.

He really was feeling better.

"She could have been famous with these talents." I mumbled and carefully set the picture down on top of the discarded box. The words didn't really register in my head until they came out of my mouth, but they had been said by the time I realized it.

She would have been incredibly famous, but now she was dead. That talent disappeared at such a young age. That must have killed Levi inside, and he blamed himself for it.

"She could have..." He sighed and pulled out one of the video tapes. I wanted to make up for what I said, and, when seeing the tapes, I felt another fit of sarcasm come along.

"What are those things?" I asked. "Video tapes, right? Those belong in the Stone Age, don't they?

"Haha, very funny, Jaeger."

"I'm a comical genius." I said with a grin. Levi rolled his eyes and stood up with a few more video tapes in his hands. I followed close behind, per usual, as Levi went back into the living room and set the tapes down on the coffee table.

"I don't know what's on these tapes honestly." Levi spoke up.

"What, do you have secret sex tapes I should be concerned about?" I asked with a grin.

"Sure, and you're in them." He joked right back, and I laughed. "Farlan and Isabel carried the camera around so much that it could be just about anything." He explained. "Probably just us eating breakfast."

"Still something..." I muttered to myself. Levi nodded his head in agreement; I thought I had been quiet enough for him not to hear me. Regardless, Levi walked over to his TV and plugged in an ancient looking VCR. I hadn't seen one of those in years, and I don't know how I missed it before. "So these are just old videos from when you were a kid?" I asked.

"Basically... Though I wasn't much of a kid."

"How old were you?"

"Around seventeen or eighteen I think," He answered. I smiled widely at the thought of getting to see a much younger Levi. So many questions rose up into my head just at the thought, but I had to keep them down. I would get most of my answers soon enough. Anything that wasn't answered I'm sure I could have asked.

"How adorable..." I mumbled under my breath. I wasn't sure if Levi had heard me or not. If he had, he didn't say anything. All he did was push play on the VCR.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More feels to come... DUM DUM DUUUUUM~!


	16. Videos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for the reviews and kudos. YAY~! *floats off to yaoi heaven*

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

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**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** ****  
**"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** ****  
**"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


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**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** ****  
**Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** ****  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


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**Chapter: 16** ****  
**Videos** ****  


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I watched with curious eyes as Levi hit play, and then came back over to the couch to sit by me. I wanted to put my arm around him, but I was afraid. I had been pushing his limits a lot lately, and I was afraid of the consequences if I were to do it anymore. So I stayed put, keeping my hands to myself while Levi adjusted himself into his seat. I looked back up to the flat screen instead, and the video was already playing.

What was I looking at? Someone was walking around with a camera pointed to their feet, and that was all I could see. Eventually, after whoever it was behind the camera kneeled down, the camera lifted, and I could see a younger Levi sleeping on the couch with, who I assumed was, Isabel sleeping on his chest, her thumb securely tucked away in her mouth. There was a faint chuckle behind the camera, and then a thin, dainty hand came into view. Whoever it was, was crazy enough to poke a sleeping Levi in the face.

"Rivaille," A girl's voice said. It was younger and childish, but I knew who that was.

It was Petra.

Levi squirmed in his sleep for a moment, but, soon enough, his eyes opened, tired and sleep filled. He seemed dazed and confused for a moment, but, after his eyes adjusted on the camera, he frowned a terrible frown and growled.

"Petra, what the fuck are you doing?" He turned his head away, and Petra erupted into a fit of giggles. It was now that I heard something that I had always questioned about Levi, but I never did hear it until now. I could hear the French accent in Levi's voice.

It wasn't as prominent as I had ever hoped for, but it was there all the same. It was there in the way he rounded his vowels, or the way he properly pronounced a T at the end of every word with one in it. It was how the word "fuck" came out of him from that time compared to now, where the U sounded completely different. It was also there (in a comical way) when he said something with an "ing" at the end of it. He sounded congested whenever he tried saying something like "doing."

I'll be the first one to say it was cute on him, and I won't take it back.

"Waking you up; it's past three." Petra bravely stated.

"I don't give a fuck..." Levi growled, his arms wrapping around Isabel.

"You shouldn't talk like that around a ten year old, you know." Levi growled at her again under his breath, and, just as he did, Isabel stirred in his arms. Her eyes opened to reveal her green irises under them, and I was surprised by it. She really did have eyes like mine. "Oh no, no, go back to sleep, Isabel. We were just talking."

"Sleep in your own bed." Levi grumbled irritably.

"You mean you didn't want her here?"

"No, not that. She said she had nightmares last night and she didn't want to sleep alone." Levi explained as he sat up. Isabel was still dazed in his arms, but she had enough cognizance to wrap her arms around Levi's shoulders and hold onto him as he stood up. "She really didn't give me much of a choice either."

"Good girl," Petra praised as the two of them walked into a rather empty room, empty except for a bed. Levi looked back at her with a disapproving look before the camera suddenly turned off. There was a moment of black before it came on again, but the view was different.

It was a view of the floor, yes, but no feet. The camera was on the floor, staring at the wall before it was pushed past a corner wall. It slowly revealed two people, one I instantly recognized as Levi, but the other man was a mystery to me. He was tall, looking like a monster towering over Levi with the way he was standing, but it was obvious that Levi posed a bigger threat. He was good looking, even to my standards. He had short, white hair that was well groomed and big, black eyes that contrasted with his hair.

Was this Farlan?

"No, no, that's not what I'm here for." His voice was tired, a little hoarse, but I could hear the remnants of his actual voice behind it.

"She actually recorded this?" Levi mumbled to himself as he sat forward.

"Well then what the fuck do you want?"

"I want out!" Farlan cried in exasperation. "I don't want to be a part of these gangs anymore! I didn't know people could leave until you suddenly disappeared..." Levi placed his hands on his hips, and Farlan dropped his head and trailed away from his sentence.

"How did you find me anyway? You even followed me..."

"I-I saw you when you were walking into this building!" He blurted out quickly. "I swear I haven't been stalking you! I just saw my chance and I-"

"And you thought you'd put Petra and I's life in danger by following me into where we live. Did you even stop to think that  _you_  were being followed as well?"

"I wasn't, I swear! I'm still new, so they wouldn't follow me."

"Bullshit they wouldn't. They'd follow you everywhere, because you are new. You're a bigger threat to them, and you haven't even earned their trust. You've put yours and our lives in danger."

"I didn't mean it, I... I just want out."

"I can't help you with that. Now get out." Levi turned his back to Farlan, but Farlan grabbed at his arm and pulled him back.

"W-Wait! Please, at least tell me how you left! I want to get out!" Farlan begged.

"I told you, I just left." Levi explained, giving Farlan a terrifying glare until he let go of him. "I'm not sure myself why they haven't come looking for me, which makes it ten times more obvious why you're here."

"I'm not here for them!" Farlan defended. "I'm here, because you're the only person who ran away! I'm scared! I don't want to do this anymore and I'm scared of what they'll do to me if I try it on my own!"

"You should have thought about that before you joined the fucking gang!" Levi's rise in his voice actually had me jump. "Shit stains like you have no idea how good they have it until they lose it, and people like you sicken the hell out of me!"

"I have no parents-!"

"But you had an aunt who took you in! Consider yourself lucky you weren't thrown into the fucking foster system, and yet you took it for granted and ran away! People like you piss me off to no end!" Levi's sudden outburst was truly frightening. I and anyone else who had pissed off Levi knew not to get on his bad side, and this was why.

"Levi!" Isabel suddenly appeared into frame, chasing after Levi with a sob coming from her.

"No, no! Isabel, come back!" Petra suddenly stood up from behind the camera and chased after her, but Isabel had already crawled into Levi's arms to be held.

"Keep watching after her, Petra. I'm almost done." Levi handed Isabel back to Petra, who nodded in understanding, but Isabel didn't get it. She kicked and screamed in Petra's arms, even went so far as to tug on her hair to get free.

"No! I want big brother!  _I want big brother!"_  She screamed while she flung her legs around.

"Isabel, stop, Levi is just talking-!" Isabel scratched at Petra's arm, leaving some rather angry red marks on her skin as Petra dropped her. She ran right back to Levi, who had no choice but to pick her up again, a sigh leaving his lips.

"Shush, Isabel, it's okay." Levi cooed in her ear and ran his fingers through her hair. Isabel was a sobbing mess already, clinging to her "big brother" like she didn't have another chance. "Stop crying now. I'm right here."

"Rivaille, I'm sorry," Petra apologized.

"It's alright. Go to the bathroom and clean that, and I'll deal with this." Levi instructed. Petra nodded, leaving the room, and then disappearing behind the camera.

"Hey..." Farlan's voice was quiet, but his eyes were wide as he lifted his hand and pointed to Isabel. "She... That was one of the kids at that drug bust..." He mumbled.

Levi glared at him and turned away, walking down the hall with Isabel still in his arms. Farlan followed close behind, calling after him, but Levi didn't even stop. He disappeared behind a door, and Farlan stood outside of it, hands against the doorframe.

"Wait, is that why you left? You took her with you and left?"

"Get out." Levi growled.

"Why, why did you take her with you?"

"It's none of your fucking business." Levi was suddenly in frame again, without Isabel and right in Farlan's face. He said something too quiet for the camera to catch, but it obviously scared Farlan enough into backing away. "Now get out."

"No, wait! Please, Levi, just give me a chance!

"No."

"Levi-!"

The camera went black again.

"W-Wait, what happened?" I asked while sitting forward slightly.

"Petra must have been recording in case something bad happened..." Levi mumbled under his breath. I wanted to question him on what happened to Farlan, but the video started playing again. Inevitably, I turned back to it to watch. Maybe I'd get my answers like that.

"Oh hey, I got it working." I heard Farlan's voice behind the camera as it moved around, then fell to Isabel. This must have been a big time skip, if not by a few months. Isabel looked older, her hair longer and in two pigtails on either side of her head. She still looked young, but there was a different air about her. "Alright, Isabel, you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready!" Isabel jumped in place as she waited for Farlan.

"Okay, go get them!" Farlan commanded. With a squeal of excitement, Isabel burst with speed down the hall, a hallway that looked different from the previous apartment. Was it a new apartment or had it been remodeled? I assumed I'd get my answers.

Isabel stormed into a bedroom and ran over to the twin-sized bed in the middle of the room. There was something about a kid running around in pajamas with such excitement that always got me laughing. They were just too cute.

"Big brother! Big brother!" She cried and tried climbing onto the bed, but she was too short (too short even for a ten year old) to reach up. "Leviiii!"

Petra suddenly sat up from the sheets, her eyes half lidded with sleep. She looked over the side of the bed to see Isabel trying to climb up, and she smiled as he pushed her hair out of her face.

"Whoa, Petra had long hair?" I questioned with wide eyes. I hadn't noticed it before, but Petra's hair was down to her waist.

"Yeah, it took her years to grow it."

"Oh... Long hair really doesn't look good on her..." I mumbled and Levi nodded his head in agreement.

"Good morning, sweetheart," She sighed and pulled Isabel onto the bed. Isabel crawled her way over to Levi, who was still sleeping with his arm around Petra's hips.

"Big brother, wake up! We have to go, we have to go!" She repeated and shook at his arm. Levi groaned in his sleep and tried rolling away, but that resulted in Isabel trying to sit on him. "We gotta go! I gotta go to school!"

"Honey, we're going shopping for that. You aren't starting school yet." Petra said and tickled Isabel's side. Isabel laughed and fell over, her knee coming into contact with Levi's stomach and having him grunt when the air was kicked out of him.

"Fucking hell..." Levi groaned, a hand clutched at his stomach as he sat up.

"Sorry," Isabel apologized and got off of Levi. "But we gotta gooo!"

"I know, but the store isn't going anywhere." Levi argued. "Did you eat breakfast yet?"

"No."

"Did you brush your teeth yet?"

"Yes." Isabel nodded her head.

"Come here." Levi said and motioned towards her with a finger. Isabel did as instructed. "Now breathe on me." He commanded. Isabel did as told, and after a moment, Levi made a face. "Go brush your teeth, Isabel."

Isabel whined, but one look from Levi and she was running out of the bed. She waddled her way out of the room, beginning to scream at the top of her lungs. Why? I think she was just excited. Levi and Petra finally got out of bed, and, when leaving the room, Farlan followed close behind with the camera.

"So, Petra, you spent the night again?" He asked with a teasing tone and pushed the camera into her face. Levi pushed the camera away with a click of his tongue, and Farlan laughed at it. He turned the camera around, showing off his features up close as he spoke. "Ohh, touchy subject."

The screen went black again. When it came back to life, the four of them were dressed from head to toe in heavy jackets, pants, and any other winter items. Levi was buttoning up Isabel's jacket, and she kept squirming and trying to pull away.

"Isabel, hold still." He reprimanded while trying to button up the middle buttons. He eventually growled and ripped off his gloves to get the buttons on.

"Hurry up!"

"You need to have your clothes on before we go anywhere." Levi mumbled. The buttons were finally finished, and with a scowl, Levi yanked his gloves back on.

"In all honesty, I think she's ready for the ice age, not going out shopping." Farlan stated. He was definitely a brave kid. That, or just stupid. I may have my moments of sarcasm, but he's just going all out on Levi.

"Shut up, Farlan."

"Let's gooo!" Isabel jumped onto an unsuspecting Levi, nearly knocking him over from his kneeling position. Levi caught her, and, with some under-the-breath cursing, he picked her up and started heading for the door.

"Alright, you need to calm down now, Isabel." He informed.

"I can't help it! I'm-I'm excited!" She thrashed around in his arms, knocking Levi over in one direction and then the next.

"Isabel, you can't do that. You're all over the place." Levi said, trying to keep balance.

"Put her down then, Levi. She can walk on her own." Petra assured with a giggle. Levi frowned, but he did as suggested. As soon as her boot covered feet hit the ground, Isabel bolted down the corridor.

"Isabel!" Levi called out and chased after her. Farlan broke out laughing behind the camera, and Petra just sighed. Levi was able to catch her, and he scooped her up into his arms and tickled her, admitting a loud burst of laughter from Isabel.

I could faintly see Levi smiling, and it warmed my heart to see it.

The screen went black. When it came back, it was nothing but white. The streets were covered in snow, and the camera lens was fogged up with steam from the mixture in temperatures. I faintly saw a face, and then Farlan began blowing hot air onto the camera.

"The lens is all fogged up." He muttered, but the warm air helped fix some of the issue.

"How about you get over here and help me?" Levi barked in the background. The camera pointed at him, watching as Levi buckled Isabel up into her car seat while she squirmed some more. She just couldn't hold still. "What the fuck are you recording this for?"

"For future generations!" Farlan replied in a chipper tone.

"I already have a kid, if you didn't notice- Ouch! Isabel, hold still!" Isabel's hand accidentally smacked Levi across the face, but she didn't seem deterred by that or his yelling.

"Sorry," She said, and then began singing a tune that I was sure she made up. The camera suddenly moved, and was soon in front of Petra, who had been watching from the curb.

"Here, hold onto this." Farlan said and forced the camera into Petra's hands.

"What, why?" She asked.

"Just watch," Farlan suddenly appeared into frame, and, while Levi continued to argue with Isabel and her car seat, Farlan slowly snuck up to him.

What happened next, I cannot explain.

He bent down, picked up snow, and shoved it down Levi's jacket within three seconds flat. In the next two seconds, he was face down in the snow, Levi's foot on the back of his head and keeping him there. All the while, Petra was laughing behind the camera, and Isabel was doing her usual screaming from her car seat.

"Yay Levi!" She cheered for him. For a moment I thought Levi wasn't going to let him up, but he did after a few moments, and after a quick shove of snow down the guy's pants. Farlan ran around like a maniac, screaming protests against the cold, but Levi wasn't one for caring, so he went to the driver's side and got into the car.

"Stupid boys," Petra laughed from the other side of the camera. I found myself laughing at this behavior as the screen did its usual fade to black and then back again. I looked over to Levi, realizing I hadn't heard from him for a while, but I was struck with guilt. Levi had tears going down his cheeks.

Levi was crying.

I had never thought I'd see it from him, someone so strong and capable, but I had to remember that he was human too. He had emotions, and these emotions had been pent up for God knows how long. Was this the first time he'd ever stopped to watch these videos? Was this the first time he had cried at the loss of his family? I couldn't fathom the latter question, but, with someone like Levi, it could have been true.

Instead of bothering to say anything, of saying an apology or his name, I draped my arm around his waist and pulled him close. He didn't protest; in fact, he rubbed his head against my collar bone. I felt his tears soaking through my shirt, but I didn't say anything against it.

I didn't care.

"Isabel, don't run off like that!" Levi's voice from the video drew me back to the television. The four of them were in a store, and Isabel seemed to be having the time of her life. Isabel was running up to Levi, completely disregarding the people she ran into. She jumped into Levi's arms when he opened them for her, and, safely tucked away into his shoulder, the four of them continued on.

"We need to get her a calculator too." Petra had previously been listing off things they needed to get, and that was the one we were arriving in at.

"She doesn't need one." Levi stared.

"Why...?"

"Because I'll teach her how to use her head, not some machine. She won't be lazy like some of the kids in our school."

"Alright, alright, you've got me there." Petra quickly threw in the towel and went on to read the paper. "Uhm, some pencils, crayons, markers, highlighters, a backpack, and a binder-"

"A backpack? Petra, she's being home schooled. What does she need a backpack for?" Levi asked.

"To carry everything in."

"She has a desk."

"Yes, but let her live a little. If she hasn't been to a real school before, let her get most of the experience in." I oddly found it funny that they were talking about Isabel while she was still there in Levi's arms. She didn't seem to care for the comments though, and she was all for the idea of getting a backpack.

"Fine, I give up. We'll get her a friggin backpack." Levi grumbled. Isabel kicked around in Levi's arms, and he put her down. Isabel didn't take off like before, but she did walk off a little.

"Where are you going, Isabel?" Farlan asked. Isabel ignored him completely and walked over to a shelf with pencils and pencil cases. She pulled a pencil case off of the shelf, but it was one in particular that had caught her eye. The pencil case was in the shape of a stuffed dog, with big, overdone eyes and a zipper down its back (a zipper that was backwards, may I might at). It was brown, fluffy, and a total child magnet.

I'll be honest; I kind of wanted one too.

"Is that the pencil case you want?" Petra asked and knelt down beside the girl. Isabel nodded, hugging the puppy pencil case to her chest with a grip that looked bruising.

"Can I have it, Levi? I really want it." Isabel gave Levi the biggest set of innocent eyes I had ever seen, and it was obvious by Levi's slight reaction that it affected him greatly.

"It's only a dollar," Petra said, examining the shelf prices. "It's on clearance."

"Only a dollar? Fuck, she can have ten if she wants." Levi said. Despite the offer, Isabel clung to the dog, and only that one.

"Are you going to give the puppy a name?" Petra asked.

"Uh huh!" Isabel nodded her head. "I wanna call him... Gub Gub!"

"Gub Gub? What kind of name is Gu- Ugh!" Petra elbowed Levi in the side, stopping him from finishing his sentence. "I think you just broke my ribs..."

"That's a great name, Isabel. Do you want to go find a backpack for him to ride on now?"

"Yes I do!" Isabel hopped up and down, Gub Gub in tow, and started walking forward. She stopped for a moment by Levi, grabbed at his hand, and started walking again.

* * *

After their scenes of shopping, I finally looked back to Levi. He had calmed down, his eyes half lidded and tired, but they were still red, as if he were about to break out crying again. His cheeks were still damp, and, without thinking against it (As I normally do), I reached a hand up to rub his cheek. My fingers froze, as did the rest of me. What was I thinking? Was I crazy?

"Hey..." Levi's voice wasn't from the videotape, but him himself. I jumped, pulling my hand away and backing up. He must not have appreciated any of what I did; hugging him close, watching him cry, and wiping away his tears. He must have hated me.

"S-Sorry..." I mumbled. Levi moved close, his head falling against my shoulder again.

"I was falling asleep. Don't move again." He warned and closed his eyes.

"Falling asleep? Don't you want to wat-..." I stopped. I didn't want to push his limits. "I-I mean, uhm... Don't you want to go to bed?"

"No," He shook his head lightly. "Stay here like this." I nodded my head and tried distracting myself with the television, but I couldn't completely focus on it. This position couldn't be comfortable, no matter what he said. Was he really okay sitting like this?

Honestly, I wasn't. If it was uncomfortable for me, it had to be for him. I kept looking down at him, as if I'd see pain flash across his face, but there was none. Every now and again he'd shift, as if trying to get a better position. That must have been his discomfort.

Then a thought crossed my mind. I looked over to the side of the couch not too far away, and then back to Levi, who moved again. My idea was crazy, and would probably get me killed, but, if I played my cards right, we could relax. Without warning, I suddenly moved back to the arm, Levi's head falling off of my shoulder abruptly.

"Hey, brat, what are you doing?" Levi asked as he sat up. I sat up quickly, grabbed his arm, and pulled him down with me as I fell back against the arm rest. Levi grunted when his head made contact with my chest, but I held him fast, making sure he wouldn't, _couldn't_  get up. "H-Hey, Eren-"

"I'm tired too," Was my only excuse, and it made me sound like a child. Levi struggled for a moment against me before finally giving up, realizing I wasn't going to let him go anytime soon. He settled against me, his head against my chest above my heart, and his hands in fists by his face. He was probably irritated with me, but I wasn't letting him get off the hook that easy.

Instead of worrying about the situation a minute further, I turned my attention back to the TV. The camera was stagnant against the table, leaving the only thing I could see being Petra and Levi sitting at it. Well, Levi was anyway. Petra was hovering over him and looking down at the piece of paper that Levi was writing on. He had an open book beside him, and every now and again he would look over to it. When he started grumbling, I figured that he was already annoyed.

"Fourteen ninety-two." Petra said.

"Fuck, why do I need to know this shit?" Levi asked. "I know for a fact that most people don't know  _or care_  when Columbus sailed the fucking ocean!"

"We have to know it though, Levi." Petra said with an odd look, a look that said she agreed with him, but she knew she couldn't fight the school system.

"Didn't you say you dropped out?" I asked.

"I went back after I got through most of my withdrawals." Levi's voice created vibrations in my chest, and the words made it warm up. I wrapped my arms around Levi's hips and waist and held onto him tightly.

"School systems need a total revamp." The Levi on the TV growled.

"I don't disagree with you there." Petra patted his back, and Levi looked like was about to put his head down, until a backpack was suddenly flung up onto the table. I recognized it as the backpack they had just bought for Isabel, a tiny thing that was light blue with glitter all over it. It was filled with her stuff for school, some list of binders and folders and papers. Attached to the handle was Gub Gub, who was packed with pencils, pens, crayons, and whatever else Isabel tried to stuff into him.

Next thing I saw was Isabel's hands pulling at the edge of the table. Levi and Petra had veered off of the task of homework to watch her as Isabel attempted to pull herself into her chair. She was so small though, and it took her several tries to get up into it. When she did, she settled herself down and pulled out a piece of paper from her backpack. The next to come was a pencil from Gub Gub, and then she sat and waited. Levi and Petra exchanged glances with each other before Levi spoke up.

"Isabel, what are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm ready for school!" Isabel cheered with a bounce.

"Isabel, your books haven't gotten here yet. We can't teach you anything until they do." Petra explained. Isabel whined and dropped her head, and I felt bad for her. It's not every day you see a child so willing to learn or start school. Then again, Isabel had never been to one.

"Isabel, do you want to read my book instead?" Levi asked and pushed it next to her. Isabel nodded vigorously before leaning over to look at the open book. She looked and looked, but she had the oddest expression on her face. "Isabel..."

"Yes?"

"You can't read." Levi stated flatly.

"I was looking at the pictures." She said and pointed to one of them, one I recognized from a previous textbook I had myself. Levi laughed at her and ruffled her hair, to which she whined and tried patting it down, but the damage had been done. Some of her hair had been pulled from her pigtails, sticking up and out and all over the place.

The screen faded black again after the camera had shifted.

When it was on it was another view of the floor, and tiny, kid feet. I heard Isabel making sounds behind the camera as she walked, and then a door opened, and then she stopped. Her unsteady hands lifted the camera to look up at Levi sleeping on the edge of his bed, his arms hanging out of the sheets and his bangs all over his face. The camera suddenly lunged forward and smacked into the edge of the bed, and Isabel made some grunting sounds as she tried climbing up, but she was too short. Instead of fighting some more, she pushed the camera further onto the bed so she could use both of her hands.

The camera was facing her, showing her struggles in trying to get up. Her hair was in knots, her cheeks were flushed, and she was in a one piece, red and green pajama. She kept pulling and pulling, and she was almost there too, but that was until an extra blanket slid off of the bed, dropping to the floor and taking her with it. The squeak that escaped her was pretty funny, and I had to stop myself from laughing and disturbing Levi while he was trying to sleep.

"Isabel...?" Levi's voice sounded tired and hoarse from sleep.

"I can't get up!" Isabel cried from the floor. Levi bent over the edge of the bed and pulled her up to where she finally relaxed. She climbed back over to where the camera was sitting and picked it up, but no one could see a thing with the way she couldn't hold the camera still.

"What are you doing with that? That's expensive, Isabel." Levi said, rubbing his eyes. "Wasn't that in Farlan's room too?"

"I took it," Isabel said and then moved closer. "It's big brothers birthday today!" She cheered.

"Yes, and it's also Christmas." Levi said and pulled the camera from Isabel's hands. I thought he was going to turn it off, but he pointed it to Isabel instead, showing off her mused style and tired expression. "Did Santa bring you presents?"

"I don't know, I didn't look." Isabel said and began climbing off of the bed. Levi followed as she left the room, tugging the blanket that fell off of the bed with her, a thumb leisurely tucked into her mouth.

"Want to go wake up Farlan?" Levi asked. Isabel looked back at him and shook her head with a sigh. She didn't sound all too pleased with the idea of it. "Why...?"

"He's too loud." Isabel answered.

" _He's_  too loud?" Levi scoffed and then laughed as Isabel walked faster to the living room. Isabel's eyes widened comically at the sight of the Christmas tree hidden behind the presents. Though they weren't a mountain of presents, those fifteen some presents were probably the first presents she ever had. If her parents didn't care enough to keep her, selling her off for drug money instead, then they probably didn't bother giving her a proper Christmas.

"Where did all of the presents come from?" Isabel asked and looked up to Levi.

"Some are from me and Farlan, I think a present or two are from Petra, and then the rest are from Santa." Levi answered.

"Why did Santa bring me gifts?" She asked. Obviously she hadn't had a proper Christmas if she didn't understand the value of Santa.

"It's because you were a good girl all this year. You did your homework and you did your chores, so Santa gives you a reward for your hard work."

"And they're mine to keep?" She asked.

"Of course. That's the point of presents." Levi laughed a little behind the camera as Isabel waddled over to the pile of presents and looked around.

"Can I open them?" She asked, finally taking her finger out of her mouth to pick up a present.

"We need to wait for Petra and her friend, and Farlan needs to be awake." Levi explained. The video went black, and, when it came back, Isabel's tiny feet were in the frame again. She was running, and I could hear Levi's voice in the background. "Isabel, get back here with that!"

Isabel ran to the front door and jumped a few times so he could reach the handle. She opened the door, and behind it was Petra with a few presents in her hand.

"Merry Christmas!" She cheered. Levi and Farlan appeared, and Farlan took the presents from Petra with some giddiness while Levi kissed his girlfriend. Why did I feel a twinge of jealousy to see that? "And happy birthday, Levi." She said after the kiss.

"Merry Christmas, Petra!" Isabel said behind the camera.

"Aww, merry Christmas, Isabel. I see you are wearing the pajamas I bought you."

"Yeah!" Isabel jumped with excitement. The camera suddenly left her hands making her whine in protest.

"Give me that! Stop taking my stuff," Farlan grumbled with camera in hand.

"You were sleeping."

"That doesn't make it right!"

"Alright, you two, enough of that. No arguing on Christmas Day  _or_  Levi's birthday." Petra said while wagging her finger. I just had a strange flashback to my mother.

Suddenly, a figure appeared from behind the door.

"Ho ho ho!" Worst Santa outfit I've ever seen. "Merry Christmas and a happy birthday to a Mr. Levi!"

"Santa...?" Isabel gaped and awed.

"That's right!" Wait, I knew that voice. "And you're Miss Isabel."

"That's right!" Isabel said and jumped with excitement. Santa kneeled down by Isabel and dropped his sack of presents.

"You've been very good this year, Isabel, and I'm very proud of you. I just had to bring you a few more presents in person." I definitely knew that voice.

"Thank you, Santa!" Isabel couldn't resist hugging Santa, and he hugged her back with a big grin.

"So, would you take this big sack of presents over to the Christmas tree while I wish your brother a happy birthday?"

"Okay, Santa!" Isabel grabbed at the bag and began pulling. She dragged it with her and out of the room, and, once gone, Santa stood up.

"Oh God, you're right; she is deprived!" The voice instantly went light.

Oh yeah, I was right. I knew who that was.

"Farlan, Levi, this is my friend Hanji Zoe." Petra introduced. Hanji pulled on the fake white beard around her cheeks so she could show her real face.

"It's nice to meet you, Hanji." Levi said and held out his hand.

"Oh, don't be so formal, Levi!" Hanji ignore his waiting hand and pulled him into a hug. The look of sheer shock that went across his face was too funny, and I couldn't suppress my chuckle, a remnant of my laughter. "And Farlan, it's great to meet you too!" Hanji then bear-hugged Farlan, who nearly dropped the camera in the process.

"Nice to meet you t-too!" Farlan's voice was muffled and stretched, and I knew why. Anyone, even I, who had ever hugged Hanji knew that she would squeeze your life out of you. She did it meeting me, she did it meeting Levi and Farlan; obviously things haven't changed over the years for her. How she didn't just crush little Isabel was an unknown to me.

"Hanji, please don't kill anyone on Christmas." Petra muttered. Hanji quickly dropped Farlan, and then stripped from her Christmas suit. Yes, I am relieved to say that she had an outfit on under the Santa suit. Nothing special, but, when she took off the hat, I was surprised by the short hair under it, as short as my own.

She looked like a guy... I didn't question Hanji's gender enough?

"Okay, so, where's the birthday cake?" Hanji dropped the Santa suit outside in the hallway and shut the door. She then clapped her hands together while licking her lips.

"No cake." Levi said.

"What, no cake? It's your birthday!" Hanji wailed.

"Levi wanted to have a big turkey dinner instead." Petra said and rolled her eyes. Hanji dropped her head down and glared at Levi.

"Don't give me that fucking look. I don't even know you."

* * *

I had sat quietly through the opening of presents, watching with a smile as Isabel had gone first. She globbed onto Levi for the presents he got her, hugged Petra for the ones she got her, stuck her tongue out at Farlan even though he got her something, thanked Hanji with a big grin, and then said she would write a thank you letter to Santa. It must have been a wonderful day for her. Her first Christmas, and she was old enough to truly appreciate it. She had a new and wonderful family, and so did Levi and Farlan. I couldn't say the same for Petra and Hanji, for I didn't know how their lives were back then, but, by the smiles on their faces, they truly enjoyed it.

Christmas time was the only time in my house where I felt like my family wasn't as messed up as it really was. I felt like I had a real father, one who truly cared. I remembered what Levi said about him, but, when I was a kid, I didn't know any better. It was also the only time my parents kept their arguments down and settled. It stayed that way for a few weeks before and after.

That's why I loved that time even more. The magic disappeared when they were gone and I had fallen into myself. Though the next Christmas's were better, they weren't the same. There was no real buildup to the happy times, and no real cool down. It wasn't the same, but Mikasa, Armin, and I tried our best to make each other happy. We tried, and I think that made up for something we couldn't get even with our parents, and that made it special in its one ways.

Maybe that's what they were feeling at the time the video was recorded.

"Hey," Farlan whined on the video.

"What are you complaining about?" Levi grumbled with Isabel sitting in his lap, playing with her new hair bows that she got from Hanji.

"The battery is dying on the camera." Farlan complained. Just as he said that, the camera went black. I waited for it to come back on, but it never did. The black screen stayed, and this is where I assumed that the video tape ended. There was nothing else on this one, that meant.

Two hours had already past, and everything was getting dark. The room was darker, and the sun setting left the room in an array of dark oranges, yellows, reds, and browns. Levi was heavy against my chests and I sighed. My arms tightened around him while my cheek rested against the crown of his head. I was still tired, as I was sure he was, and I had no problem falling asleep like this, but Levi suddenly shifted. I thought he had been asleep this whole time, but I was apparently wrong.

Pushing his hands against my chest, Levi sat up, and my breath hitched with the way the lighting in the room made him look. He got off of the couch, walked over to the VCR, and switched out the tapes. I sat up with my back against the arm rest before Levi came back, and he went right back into his old position. His head fell right against my chest above my heart, his hands pressed into my waist, and he sat between my legs. I wrapped my arms around his hips and left them there. When I didn't get hit for it, I was able to relax.

The video began playing, and instantly I heard whining. Petra was sitting in the chair and the whining was coming from her. Her hands were pressed against her face and hiding it. Behind her stood Levi with a pair of scissors in his hands, and he kept looking and fingering her long hair. Petra lifted her head, a sniffle leaving her as she looked at the camera.

"No, Farlan, don't record this! Why would you record this?" She cried.

"Because it's funny," Farlan couldn't stop the laughter that laced his voice. Petra whined again, dropping her head down into her hands again.

"Petra, I'm really sorry!" Isabel said. This must have been a more recent video tape, because Isabel was obviously older. While she was still short, shorter than Levi, she was taller. She had filled out quite a bit, and she looked like any normal kid now. Her hair was longer, but still in two pony tails on either side of her head. Her facial features had sharpened, making her look older, but I could still hear her childish tone that hadn't broken away yet.

"Oh, it's okay honey. It is okay, right, Levi?" Petra lifted her head and asked.

"Yeah, it's fine. You're only going to lose an inch or two off of your hair." Levi lifted the hair up to show Petra how much he was going to cut off, and I could see gum stuck to her ends. When he lifted it, however, he saw something under her hair he hadn't seen before. "Oh shit."

"What...?" Petra asked.

"It goes all the way up in the back." He pointed out.

"How much am I going to lose now?" Petra hesitated, but still asked. Levi flipped through her hair a little more before placing a finger on the nape of her neck.

"It'll end right here." He answered.

"Oh no!" Petra buried her face back into her hands and cried.

"I'm really, really sorry!" Isabel apologized and pulled on Petra's hand. Petra sniffled again and tried smiling, but she looked oh so utterly defeated. She patted Isabel's head though, and she continued to smile.

"It's okay, honey. I know you didn't mean it. You just can't believe what you see on TV." She said.

"What idiot sticks gum behind their ear anyway?" Levi muttered to himself, and the first snip of hair was cut off.

"What idiot puts gum behind  _someone else's_  ear?" Farlan asked behind the camera.

"Oh shut up, you old miser!" Isabel hissed.

"Don't call me that,  _Belly!_ " Farland barked.

"Both of you shut up! I swear to God I feel like I have three kids!" Levi growled.

"Hey," Petra whined and looked back at Levi.

"I meant Hanji." Levi explained and cut off more hair.

"Oh, well then that's fine." Petra sighed and leaned her head to the side.

"If you don't stop moving your head around, you're going to be on that list." Levi bit out and pulled on her hair to straighten her head. Petra straightened up instantly, a whimper leaving throat as Levi cut more hair off. The chunk he cut off was rather frightening, even to someone like me who had never had that much hair. Thinking that someone let alone Levi would cut off that much hair...?

Yeah, no.

A black screen. When it came back, I could see Farlan's reflection in a mirror, camera in hand as he recorded Petra running her fingers through her now short hair. This was the Petra I knew for sure; her short, dark-orange hair, and the side bang to her left. She didn't seem all too displeased by the haircut Levi gave her, and the bangs really opened up her face.

"It's not that bad." Farlan said.

"No, it's not." Petra sighed.

"Be happy Levi cut your hair so well." Farlan said and turned the camera over to Levi who was sweeping the hair from the floor. "Where did you learn to cut hair like that, Levi?" He asked.

As a response, Levi turned his back to the camera and swept the hair into a dust pan that Isabel had been holding for him.

"Levi cuts my hair all the time!" Isabel said enthusiastically.

"And here I thought she was just cutting her hair while they were in pigtails." Farlan mumbled.

"Oh behave." Petra said and walked into the kitchen where Levi was. "So it looks okay?"

"I told you it looks fine." Levi rolled his eyes and said.

"But you're my boyfriend, so you're contractually obligated to say that. Isabel, what do you think?" Petra turned to Isabel and asked. Isabel dumped the remaining hair into the garbage can before answering.

"I think it makes you look really cute." She answered with a grin. "I like the side bangs too. I think it opened up your face a lot."

"You think...?" Petra said while pushing her side bangs behind her ear.

"Yeah, and the short hair looks so much nicer and healthier. It's really soft and shiny!" Since when was Isabel a cosmetologist?

"So it's cute...?" She hummed and rubbed the back of my neck. "It's weird, because there's a cold spot on the back of my neck."

"You'll get used to it." Levi said. I chuckled while Levi shifted on my chest. I looked down at him as he lifted his head, and I followed his eyes towards the sound of the front door opening. I sat up a little to look over the rim of the couch as Levi grandparents walked past the hall.

His grandmother was still in her wheelchair, and in her lap was two bags from some store here in the city. His grandfather was carrying one, with the exception of another hanging off of the handle of the wheelchair. So that's what they had been doing for two hours? They went shopping? Didn't they say they were buying fast food? And where was the fast food?

I wanted to question it, but Levi shook his head and sighed before lying back down on my chest. I glanced back at his grandparents before looking down at Levi again.

Had he asked them to leave so he could talk to me? Was that why they suddenly dropped everything and left? That would explain everyone's odd behaviors.

This somehow made me feel better. It made me feel...  _Important,_  and I felt like I did mean something to Levi, even if it wasn't much. I knew I shouldn't have thought that way, because I was probably wrong, but I wanted to think that way, if only for a while.

I pushed my thoughts away. There would be plenty of time to think hard on that. Right now, I was sitting here and watching a video with Levi. I pushed my attention back onto the video.

Emotions had changed. Farlan was behind the camera, per the usual, cackling all the while he recorded the video. I could faintly see Petra in the side of the shot, but the main objects were Isabel and Levi. Levi had his face buried in his hands, his back hunched over the table, and a groan escaping him. Isabel was simply sitting up straight and staring at him curiously. When Levi lifted his head, he tugged his face down. His eyes met the camera, and I could see the flash of annoyance shoot across his face.

"Fuck  _no!_ Turn the God damn camera off!" He barked at Farlan.

"No," Farlan said and laughed.

"I'm really confused..." Isabel mumbled.

"Ignore him, Isabel. Farlan is just being an ass." Levi said. Despite the remark, Farlan refused to put the camera down or turn it off.

"So what were you saying?" Petra egged Levi along.

"Fucking hell... Okay so... W-When two people care about each other very much, they uh, they do something-... I feel like I'm going to vomit." Levi dropped his head down on the table.

Oh my God. They were giving her the sex talk. I couldn't stop myself from breaking into laughter. Thank you, Farlan, for recording this.

"Keep going, Levi." Petra urged.

"I don't want to." Levi whined. Whined? Yes,  _whined._

"You have to, Levi. She needs to know."

"She's fourteen! She has seven more years before she needs to know this shit!"

"I got my sex talk at ten, Levi." Petra informed.

"What the fuck is wrong with your parents?" Levi gaped and Petra rolled her eyes at him. Levi audibly groaned before tossing his hands up in exasperation. "Alright, Isabel, so when two people love each other very much, they do something called sex, and, when they do it, it's their way of showing how much they love the person." Levi begrudgingly explained.

I couldn't help but laugh at how he was explaining it. He was saying all of these things about love so she wouldn't do it out of fun, but for real love. Smart, but I could see where this could backfire.

"So, when I love someone, I can have sex with them to show them that I love them?" Isabel asked, tilting her head to the side.

She wouldn't...

"Yes, but when you're over thirty, and when you truly care for someone." Levi explained. I saw Isabel tilt her head more.

She definitely would.

"So when I'm over thirty, I can have sex with you, Levi?"

She did.

 _"Oh Jesus fucking Christ!"_  Levi got out of his chair (and accidentally knocked it over) and left the room, and Farlan and Petra had broken out laughing. Petra even fell out of her chair from her laugher, and Farlan couldn't even stand up straight. He ended up putting the camera down so he could fall over. I myself was snickering, holding a hand over my mouth and trying to keep calm, but it was so hard.

If Levi was awake, I surely woke him up with how hard I was laughing. Honestly, how could anyone not see that coming?

I could scarcely hear Levi cursing down the hallway before appearing back into the room. He picked up the chair and dropped back down into it, his whole body falling forward onto the table and sitting there. Isabel simply sat still, her eyebrows furrowed in obvious confusion.

"What just happened?" Isabel asked.

"Okay..." Levi sat up and grabbed at Isabel's shoulders. "Sex is only for people who are married or dating, not for siblings like you and I." Levi breathed out.

"Ohh, I see."

"Do you?" Farlan asked behind the camera.

"Yes, I do!" Isabel said and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Isabel, listen. No matter what, you only have sex with someone when you really know you love this person and can trust them with your life. This is really important and I can't express it enough." He said and shook her shoulders.

"Alright, I guess..." She mumbled and tried backing up. Her eyes shifted over to Petra, who had collected herself somewhat to get back into her chair. "So, since you and Petra are dating, does that mean you two have sex?"

Of course she asked that.

"Oh my..." Petra sighed and shifted in her seat so she wasn't looking at them.

"Isabel, another thing; sex is kind of a personal thing. People don't like to talk about their sex lives." Don't lie to the poor kid, Levi.

"So I shouldn't ask?" She asked.

"No," Levi let her go and sighed. He visibly relaxed, but did he really think this was over?

"... So how do you have sex?"

"J'abandonne!" Levi groaned into his hands again. I couldn't hide my laughter when I heard Levi fall into his native tongue. "Please, Farlan, shut the fucking camera off! I don't want this on video!"

"Alright, alright, fi-" His words were cut off when the camera turned off. With that quiet pause from the black screen, my laughter was more audible, even with my hand covering my mouth. I tried to stop, I really did, but after something like that, how could one recover so easily? I surely couldn't.

I looked down at Levi, wondering if I had woken him up at all. To my surprise, he was indeed awake, and he was smiling. Whether it had been I who had woken him up or he had never fallen asleep was unsure though.

"That was an absolute disaster..." Levi said, his voice muffled by my shirt.

"How did you not see that coming?" I asked and I couldn't stop my laughter from falling out.

"I don't know. I told you she was weird."

"Yeah, but I saw it coming from a mile away. A blind man in China saw that one coming." I retorted, and I felt the lightest of pinches on my side.

"Shut up, Eren," He grumbled dejectedly. I rolled my eyes at him and draped my arm over his shoulder before turning my attention back to the video, as did he.

The next five minutes or so had been Levi getting his revenge on Isabel. At least ten times he woke her up early in the morning before he went to school just to say good morning, but obviously Isabel wasn't a morning person. So what did Levi do? Each time he woke her up, he set her alarm for a little bit after and left the camera running so it could watch her fall out of bed to the sudden sound of her alarm going off like crazy. By that point she couldn't fall asleep again, and she would grumble at nothing before picking up and camera and cursing Levi off. Some of it had been in English, and some of it I recognized as cursing in French. Obviously she picked up a few things from him.

There was only one time that was different. Levi had the camera pointed at her sleeping form as he walked into the room. She was a terrible sleeper, just like me. Her blanket was hanging off of half of her body, her foot was sticking out from the bottom by the mantle, her hands were clasped together by the excessive amount of bed hair on her head, and oh, that drool.

"Isabel," Levi said softly and poked at her nose. She whined in her sleep and rolled over where there was no bed below her. She fell out of her bed with another one of her infamous squeaks, and I snorted at the way she then started to whine on the floor.

"Levi, it's Saturday!" She cried in exasperation before pulling herself back into bed.

"I know, I just thought that you wanted to be up early." Levi said.

"Well I don't!" She hid her face in the blankets and faked a snore in hopes of getting Levi to go away.

"You don't want to be awake early on your fifteenth birthday?" Levi asked.

"No!"

"You don't want to go to the amusement park then?" He questioned some more. A silent moment passed before Isabel hopped out of her bed and ran over to her dresser.

"I forgot about the park!" She cheered and started pulling clothes out from her dresser so they would end up on the floor.

"Don't make a mess, Isabel." Levi reprimanded.

"I gotta find my clothes!"

"They're all on your floor now!" Levi scoffed. Isabel ignored him and shoved her legs into a pair of blue jeans. Levi turned away to give her privacy, and the camera shut off. When it came back on, Isabel had the camera in her hands. How could I tell? It was because her squealing was a lot louder now than it would be with one of the others holding the camera.

She was skipping with the camera in her hands, and she was pointing it at the big amusement park sign in front of her. She stopped just to jump up and down more, and she cheered and cheered. Had this been her first time at an amusement park?

"Isabel, don't walk off without us, okay?" Levi said behind her.

"I won't." She said.

"It's really busy in there, so you can't even walk five feet away, got it?" Protective much, Levi…?

"I got it! Now let's go!" Isabel grabbed his arm and yanked, tugging Levi forward and pulling a surprised grunt from him.

A black screen. When it came back, the image of a huge roller coaster was the first thing I saw. The camera slowly turned around from the ride to Isabel, who wiggled her eyebrows in a tempting manner. She smirked, and, at that moment, I saw how much she really picked up from Levi. Oh, what a little devil she had become.

"Hey, Levi," She said, still holding the camera to show her face. However, she turned it slightly, and I saw Levi standing in the background, talking to Farlan. When his name was called, he turned his attention to her.

"What...?"

"Let's go on that one." Isabel said and pointed up. Levi followed her hand up, and, in that comical way, I couldn't help but laugh at how Levi had to tilt his head up.

"... Fuck no."

A black screen. When it turned back on, I saw Levi and Farlan pointing to a park map on the building wall. Levi was grumbling about how they were lost, and Farlan was assuring him that they weren't lost and trying to explain the confusing map to Levi. Isabel was quiet, but she was backing away inch by inch. I was pretty sure she was grinning behind the camera.

She backed up a little more, and, before she could reach three feet, Levi reached back and grabbed her arm without even looking, tugging her back to him. She broke out laughing, but it was cut off when the camera was turned off. It came back on to a video of Levi and Isabel. They were hugging each other, Isabel's head resting on Levi's shoulder, but they were just standing there. Why weren't they moving?

"... Oh wait, it's recording!" Farlan suddenly announced. Isabel broke out laughing again while Levi called him a multitude of names. "Isabel, how do I get back to the camera on this thing?" He asked.

"You gotta push the button on the side." She explained.

"Okay... Wait, this on-" Yeah, I'm sure he found it. When it came back on, the three of them were leaving the park. Farlan had the camera, and Levi was carrying Isabel out of the park. She was out cold, and Levi looked pretty tired himself, but he looked more annoyed than tired as he readjusted his grip on her thighs.

"She's getting too old for this." Levi grumbled out.

"Fifteen today," Farlan said.

"I'm getting too old for this too." Levi grumbled some more.

"You're twenty-one; that's not old." Farlan corrected.

"Well I feel like it." Levi suddenly shifted in my arms, his hands pushing against my chest and his head lifting up.

"Levi, what's wrong?" I asked. He didn't answer; his eyes were glued to the TV screen. However, I could see something in them, something akin to worry, or more so fright. He was scared of something, but why?

I turned to look at the TV. Was he seeing something I wasn't? Was there something there that I couldn't see? What I was seeing were the three of them driving home. Isabel was awake and in the back seat of the car, chatting up a storm about how much she enjoyed her day, though I could still hear her yawn every now and again. Levi was driving, and Farlan was in the passenger's seat and covering his ears.

"Isabel, let me sleep!" He cried in exasperation.

"Don't interrupt me while I'm talking, you old miser!" Isabel grumbled to herself and stuck the camera in his face. He pushed it away and she whined, but Levi spoke up before they could continue arguing.

"Stop that! Isabel, sit back and put your seat belt on." Levi demanded.

I got the wind knocked out of me when Levi fully got off of me. I sat up, watching as he left the couch and bolted for the TV. He quickly pushed the eject button, forcing the video tape out faster than I could stop him.

"What are you doing?" I asked and stood up. Levi stared blankly at the tape, his eyes withdrawn and dead. What had happened? "Levi...?"

"It's nothing." He said. I watched as he grabbed at both ends of the tape and pulled, and I reached out quickly to stop him.

"No don't! Why are you trying to break it?" I asked, pulling the tape from his hands that were practically crushing the hard plastic.

"I told you that it's nothing. Give it back." He demanded with a rather angry expression.

"Not unless you won't break it." I fought back.

"Give it back, Eren!" He barked.

"Why would you want to break something so important? What reason do you have for wanting to get rid of your memories?" I asked, raising my voice. Levi wasn't the only one who could yell.

"You wouldn't understand." He sighed, and his anger seemed to dissipate. I tilted my head, watching him attempt to calm his breathing. Why was he reacting so badly? "Please, Eren, just... Give it back." He was  _begging._

"... What's on this tape you don't want me to see?" I dared to ask. Levi turned his head away from me, his eyes following to the floor. "Levi, I'll understand. I know you're saying I won't, but I will." I said.

"Even if you did... You've seen enough in your life." Levi mumbled under his breath.

"What...?" Levi turned away and started leaving. "H-Hey, Levi-"

"I'm going to bed." He announced and left the room. I was left standing alone in the living room, video tape still trapped deftly between my hands and chest. I hadn't even realized that I was practically crushing it myself until the grip I had on it hurt my hands.

What had I done wrong? Why was he so upset? Why would he want to destroy the only memories of his family he could watch as many times as he wanted?

What was on this tape he didn't want me to see?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact for you all. Gub Gub is seriously based off of a pencil case I had in senior year. Yes, I walked around with him at eighteen years old. Guess what. I walk around at almost twenty with him hanging off of my pant loops at cosmetology school. Yep. No regrets. :3


	17. All My Fault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't been getting to your comments yet. I have been busy, and I'm really sorry. ^^' I really do appreciate all of them though! :D

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


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**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter: 17** **  
** **All My fault** ****  


* * *

I didn't sleep again that night.

It was nearing one in the morning, and I was still anxious and upset about what happened earlier. My sleeping schedule had been completely thrown off as of now, but that was the  _least_  of my worries.

I tilted my head and looked at Levi in the dark. There was the dim light coming through the curtains of the city life outside, allowing me to see him. His back was turned to face me, and the blanket had slid down some, revealing his slim back and shoulders. I could make out the outline of his waist and hips through the blanket, but barely with this little amount of light. I sighed, lifting my head back up to look at the ceiling.

I needed to think.

How could he be sleeping right now? Hours before he was just as upset as I was now, and he seemed so anxious, no matter how tired he was. However, he just fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, and I didn't understand how he could do that. I couldn't sleep, even if it meant saving my sanity. Surely, if his mind was as cluttered as mine, he wouldn't be asleep.

I didn't understand.

 _Why…?_  Why did he want to destroy those memories? Why did he even try? Those moments I saw on those video tapes were beautiful, precious, and everyone would want something like that in their lives, so why would he want to get rid of them?

Was the pain just too much for him to bear anymore? I thought Levi felt better after finally talking about what happened after God knows how many years, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe he had locked it all away for so long that it was too much. If that was the case, wouldn't he be more susceptible to break down? I know I surely would; after all, I did a few days ago myself, but that was me. He and I are two totally different people. So then why?

Why, why,  _why...?_  I didn't get it.

He said I wouldn't understand, and maybe I wouldn't, or maybe I would. Well, as of right now, I didn't, and I wouldn't, not until I saw the tape.

So, with that firm and dangerous plan formed in my head, I quietly crawled out of bed and tip toed out of the room. I had to use the wall as a guide in the dark, because I didn't want to turn on a light and alert anyone, but it was fine. Once I was in the living room, I slid the light on low and walked to the TV. I had left the video tape on the coffee table; Levi hadn't told me what to do with it, so I kept it there for safe keeping (I was glad to see that he hadn't gotten rid of it). I placed it back into the VCR and hit play, and turned the TV on and kept the volume low. Even if it meant having to stand right next to the TV to hear, that was fine. I wasn't too keen on dying tonight.

"Can we go again next year?" Isabel's voice was the first thing I heard. She had moved from the back seat to sit near the front, but Levi reached behind him and pushed at her hand holding the camera.

"I told you to put your seat belt on." He said. Isabel groaned behind the camera and sat back. She pulled on the seat belt, but, when it got near the lock, she slowly let it go.

"Oh no, it came undone." She whispered and scooted back into the middle seat. "So, Levi, can we go again next year?" She asked and held the camera up. She really didn't care about it, but Levi must not have known about it. If he did, I'm sure he would have continued to give her hell.

"I don't see why not." Levi sighed, his eyes still on the road.

"Awesome! I really loved it there! I liked all of the big roller coasters, because they were so fast!" Isabel began chattering again, and Levi smiled while Farlan covered his ears.

"Good to know she enjoyed herself." Levi muttered.

"No, not enjoyed; I loved it! It was funny hearing big bro scream like a girl!" Isabel proclaimed, and I could just hear the sound of her grin forming on her face. It was probably a big one too, because Levi's eyes widened some and he frowned.

"I did  _not_  scream, and, even if I did, it wouldn't sound like a girl." Levi retorted, momentarily looking away from the road.

"I heard you, Levi. You sounded like a girl." Farlan said with a laugh.

"You sounded like great grandma!" Isabel cheered.

"I did not sound like-!"

 _"Levi!"_  Farlan's sudden yell made me jump, but I froze in place by the next events.

It all happened so fast, yet it seemed so slow.

I saw the stray dog in the road. I saw the car coming in the opposite direction, and I saw it swerve to avoid hitting it. It clipped their car instead, and the car swerved. I vaguely heard Isabel's scream of terror, but it was covered with the loud sounds of metal bending, glass breaking, and then the camera smacking into one side of the car and then the other.

And then it all stopped.

My heart and blood had truly frozen. I couldn't breathe, and I had my hands over my mouth to cover whatever strangled sounds left my lips.

This was what Levi didn't want me to see.

The camera was still running, but the lens had broken and shattered. This caused the camera to focus in and out of the ceiling it was pointing too. Besides the ceiling, all I saw a bit of the front passenger and driver's seats, the edge of the backseat, and that was it. It was quiet. All I could hear were the sounds of the car sputtering in agony.

Where were they? Why weren't they talking? Where was Isabel and her energetic chatter? Where was Levi and his cursing? What about Farlan and his insults to Isabel?

I couldn't stand the quiet. This was killing me. I wanted to hit the fast forward button and make it go away, but I was too frozen in place to do anything about it. I was glued to the floor, my muscles tense and my mind racing. All I could do was wait.

Twenty seconds. One minute. Two minutes. Five minutes. My breathing was getting thinner by the second, and I found that the air entering me was cold and unwelcoming.

Seven minutes. Still nothing. I was seriously tempted to hit fast forward, but I couldn't move. I was permanently stuck to the floor where I now stood.

Fifteen minutes.  _Where were they?_

It was as if God heard me, though it felt like an eternity. It must have been another ten minutes (making the long wait twenty five minutes all together) before I finally heard shuffling from the front seat, followed by pain filled groans. This wasn't Levi, but Farlan, who sounded like he was in a lot of pain. With the way the camera was on the floor, I couldn't see him, and this left me feeling nauseous.

"Fuck... S-Shit..." I heard more shuffling from him, another curse here and there and he whimpered in pain. Finally I faintly saw his hand against the car seat, obviously trying to move around. "Fuck, Isabel...!" He cried with pain, his voice cracking. "Levi, ouch, Levi, get up!" More struggling followed as I waited for Levi to come to.

"Levi, Levi, I'm stuck!" Farlan groaned in a frantic mess. "My leg is fucking stuck!" I heard Levi groaning from the front seat, but, because I couldn't see him, my anxiety was at an all-time high. I needed to hear his voice. I needed to know he was okay. "Damn it, wake up!"

"Ah... Shit..." Hearing Levi's voice was like seeing God. I couldn't have been more relieved, even if it was filled with pain.

"My leg is stuck under the stupid fucking door!" Farlan's frantic panicking followed as he struggled in the front seat. "You need to get up!" At that point, his voice had become harsh and broken in all of the wrong places.

"What...?" Poor Levi sounded so out of it.

"Levi, get up and get Isabel out!" My heart raced at the sight of smoke rising to the top of the car. Farlan started hacking, followed by Levi, who was still so out of it. Even his coughing sounded weak.

"Hold still..."

"No, no, get Isabel! She's bleeding!" Farlan commanded with a frightened tone. I heard the click of a buckle, followed by the sight of hands that came into frame as they gripped at the fabric of the car seats. Levi finally appeared, but I felt my stomach turn at the sight of him.

Levi had a long, deep gash going across his forehead where his fringe was. He had blood dripping down his face, blinding one of his eyes and staining his shirt a permanent and sickening red color. No wonder why Levi couldn't focus; he didn't have enough blood in his body to do it. He could barely hold himself up, and his grip on the car seats was weak and flimsy, not to mention that he was leaning from one side to the other.

"No, Isabel..." Levi crawled into the back seat, and I saw him pull Isabel into his arms. The excruciatingly deep wound on the back of her head was far worse than Levi's, and it made his gash look like a scratch. Levi tried covering the wound with his hands, but blood quickly seeped past his fingers and drenched the car seats below them. It wasn't enough pressure to stop the bleeding. "Isabel, come on, wake up!" Levi cried to her.

"Get her out, hurry!" Farlan commanded some more. More smoke was filling the car, covering the roof with a haze that looked like dense fog. Farlan began gasping for clean air while Levi began kicking the back door open. It must have been stuck, but, with a few good, heavy kicks, it opened.

I listened to Levi dragging Isabel out, listened to his own struggles, and I listened to Farlan. The smoke was burning his lungs in terrible ways, and I could tell by the way he was wheezing. He wouldn't be able to handle that much smoke inhalation, and neither could the camera.

When I heard his coughing get worse, when I heard Levi's fear-filled voice crying out to Isabel, the camera screen went blank.

I waited, and I waited some more, but, this time, it didn't come back on. I even waited for a few minutes, still frozen from fear and shock, but nothing appeared on the screen.

"No..." The word was shaky, hesitant, and breathless. I fell to the floor by the VCR when I felt my body gain control over itself again and hit fast forward. I watched the screen for signs of life, signs of  _anything,_  but nothing. My heart ached, and it practically killed me when I heard the click of the tape ending.  _"No…"_

No, that couldn't have been it. There had to be something more. Any minute now, I should have heard Isabel's hyper voice or seen Farlan's calculating smirks, but no.

That was it.

This was the end.

They were dead.

This was what Levi didn't want me to see. This is why he tried to destroy the tape in the first place. I could have never fathomed in a million years that the camera would have recorded the whole accident, and I'm sure he didn't either. Who would ever want that to fall onto someone?

He was right. I understood why just fine, but I shouldn't have seen that. No one should ever have to see that let alone deal with it. He was right, and I regret watching the video just as much. I shouldn't have done that, because now I knew.

Because of this, how could I face him now?

I pulled the tape from the VCR and set it down where I had left it before. I stood for a moment, simply staring absentmindedly around the room that I was in and at the blue screen of the TV before turning it off and leaving it. I walked back into Levi's room just as quiet as I had left it, and I crawled back into bed.

I settled down into the bed, pulling the blankets up to my shoulders. I dropped my head into the feather pillows and looked over to Levi. Levi hadn't budged an inch, meaning he was still sleeping. Good. I didn't want to wake him up. He needed his rest.

Curiosity got the better of me as I laid there looking at him. I slowly crawled over to Levi's side of the bed and positioned my elbow under me to hold myself up. I gently placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at him in the dark. Even with the dim lighting in both the room and on his face, I could see it.

Under the fringe of his hair was the scar from the wound I saw in the video. The wound must not have been as deep as I thought, because the scar was thin and light. It looked as if it were one of those scratches that you thought would heal just fine, but ended up leaving a scar. No one would see it unless they were up this close and specifically looking for it like I was. Just the thought that it was there, however, was painful, and I couldn't imagine how it must have been for Levi.

The scar was a permanent reminder of that day, and it could never go away. Every time he looked into a mirror he must have been reminded of the terrible accident that took his family's lives. He blamed himself enough for it; he didn't need a physical reminder of it.

I dropped my head down onto his shoulder and sighed. My breath came out a shudder, and I felt myself losing my grip. I wanted to sob. I wanted to cry. I wanted to hold him until my or his bones broke, and I didn't want to let go.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered. I wasn't sure if he would be able to hear me, but I didn't care. I needed to say it. What was I apologizing for? I didn't really know. I just needed to say it.

I really did understand now, and I wished I didn't. I shouldn't have kept watching. I should have let my curiosity slip away, and I should have just listened to him. I should have left it alone, acted like it never happened, but I didn't. I watched the video tape, and now I knew.

I knew for sure Levi would find out. I couldn't lie, and I wasn't going to try. He would figure it out anyway, whether I was good at lying or not. It was hard just having to see that moment on a video. If I was having this much difficulty with it, I couldn't imagine what kind of pain Levi had been in, or would ever be in.

"She died in my arms..." The words were hushed, but there all the same, and it made me lift my head up in surprise. Levi's eyes were still closed, but there was the unmistakable presence of his shivering that I missed before, and I don't know how I did.

"What...?" I asked. My voice shook too much. He must have known.

"The paramedics didn't even get to us in time... So she died in my arms... Farlan died a few hours later at the hospital..." Levi's body tightened considerably and one of his hands found mine in the dark and held into it.

"I'm sorry," I sobbed and dropped my head back onto his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Levi... So, _so_ sorry."

"It's alright..."

"It's not alright...!" I gasped out, surprised at myself for how terrible I sounded. "How can you carry this with you everywhere you go? I don't understand how you do it!"

"I do it the same way you do it. I just keep living." It was there, but I wasn't sure if it was my mistake or if I really heard the quiver of his voice. "It's not like I have a choice. It's what I get..."

"It's not your fault." I insisted and pulled on his hand. I forced him to lie on his back, pushing myself up so I could hover over him, but Levi kept his head turned to the side. He wouldn't look at me. "Levi, it's not your fault! You never meant for any of that to happen. I know you didn't!"

Levi didn't have a response to this. I tried to catch his attention so he would look at me, but he wouldn't do it.

"Levi, it's not your fault. You loved Isabel and Farlan, and I saw it. Anyone could see it. They loved you too, and they wouldn't want you like this..."

"I know." He mumbled.

"So why are you beating yourself up about it? You said it yourself, that we both keep living, but  _you_  aren't! You're just going through life in denial; that's not living!" I didn't care if I woke up Levi's grandparents. I wanted him to hear me, and I wanted to be heard. I wanted, no, I needed him to know that this wasn't his fault. "Levi..."

I touched his cheek. Because of the dark, I didn't see them beforehand, but, with my hand like this on his face, I could feel hot tears drenching his skin. I bit my bottom lip as I wiped them away, but I felt them coming regardless.

"Levi, say something, anything, please." I begged him. "Yell at me if you have to... I don't care anymore. Just say something..."

"I don't have anything to say..." His voice definitely shook that time, followed by him lifting his head. "I haven't had anything to say for years now..."

"That's not right..." I bent down and pressed a kiss to Levi's cheek, tasting the salty tears on my lips. I did it again and again, anything if it meant getting rid of the tears staining his pale skin. I couldn't stand it when he cried.

"You idiot..." He whispered.

"You're right... I understand," I whispered back. "But I don't understand how you just deal with this."

"I said before that I don't have a choice. I have to deal with that and the reminders I see around me."

"What reminders; that stupid scar?" I countered back, my voice rising with anger.

"No..." He trailed off. I pressed my hands into his cheek again, making sure he couldn't look awake. I could see his eyes finally flicker to mine, but it was brief and fleeting. It was something, however, and I was still glad. "You don't get it."

"What am I not getting?" I asked. "Tell me, Levi. I want to know." Levi sighed, irritation and anger obvious. I didn't care. I wanted to know.

"... The person who hit us was Erwin."

The words hit me hard and fast like a gush of cold water and wind. My eyes widened with what only could be described as shock, but Levi didn't react at all.

"...  _E-Erwin_  did?"

"That's how I met him. He was the one who hit us, and he felt terrible for it." Levi turned his head against my hand, but whether it was for the touch of my hand or so he didn't have to look into my eyes I didn't know. "He paid off everything for me, helped me get into school, and did everything he could to help me... And it did..."

"But you still had that reminder..." I mumbled, and he nodded.

"He and I both know that whatever he or I do can't make up for my sister and Farlan, but the gestures were still there. He didn't have to, but he did it anyway." I rubbed my fingers against his cheek bones, and he looked up at me with such defeated eyes. I hated that look in his eyes. "That's why I still work for him. He has something I lack, but I don't know what it is. I'm just trying to figure out what."

"Levi..." I sighed and pressed my forehead into his. His hands reached up and cupped my cheeks, and I opened my eyes to see him staring right back at me.

"There's him and then you." He stated quietly.

"Me...? How am I a reminder?" I asked.

"It's just you. I know you don't see it, but you and Isabel are a lot alike in more ways than one." Levi sat up on his elbows, and I pushed myself up to give him space. I didn't stay far away for long though. When he situated himself into a more comfortable position, lying on his back with a pillow properly situated under his head, I laid right back down with my head falling to his shoulder. His arms wrapped around me in a protective embrace, one hand holding my arm and the other (which I was currently using as a pillow) was running through my hair.

"I'm sorry then..." I mumbled. "I didn't realize I was causing so much trouble for you. Had I known, maybe I-..." Levi squeezed rather hard, cutting me off.

"Don't you downgrade yourself, Eren. I know I don't gush over people like everyone else in this God forsaken world does, but you definitely are motivated and determined. You work a lot harder than anyone else does, and I wish the world had more people just like you. That and I'm really glad I met you."

I had always imagined what it'd be like to hear an actual comment come from Levi's mouth. How would I react? I always wondered it myself. What would the comment be about? Something probably stupid and sarcastic.

However, hearing the words come from Levi's mouth in person, with such emotions and care behind them, honestly left me speechless. It touched my heart, made it feel fuzzy, and my breath shuddered when I breathed out. I felt a strange tingle go up and down my spine and settle in my stomach, and Levi's fingers running through my hair didn't help the goose bumps that rose on my skin. I was stuck simply looking at Levi in the dark, my eyes wide. I wondered if he could possibly see my reactions; I could see his, and all he did was raise an eyebrow and tilt his head.

"Ah... T-Thank you..." I mumbled. I was serious and happy, but I was so shocked that I wasn't sure if it came out right, let alone if I could properly express it. Levi rolled his eyes and chuckled, and I couldn't help the smile that spread my lips across my face. "... I'm really glad I got to meet you too."

With that being said, Levi smiled a genuine smile and closed his eyes. His chin fell on top of my head, and I relaxed in the silence. I had been unconsciously rubbing my fingers across Levi's chest. When I realized that I was doing it, it wasn't like I cared enough to stop. I continued, and Levi didn't protest.

I felt bad though. There was so much I wanted to say, and I didn't know how to say any of it. I truly was grateful in more ways than one, and I wanted to say so, but how? It wasn't like I had ever felt like this way before with anyone, and, even if I knew, I probably would have fucked it up anyway. I didn't want to mess this up though. I wanted to say more, to make sure that Levi knew I was being serious, but how would I say it?

I needed to say something. When I looked up at him, Levi's black eyes were closed and his breathing was steady. He was falling asleep, and I couldn't leave it where it had ended. That wasn't right on my part, and I needed him to know that.

"Levi," I began.

"Hm...?" Levi peaked open an eye of his and stared at me. I don't know what suddenly made me drift, but I lost what I had to say. It was trapped in my throat, and a new question bubbled up instead. Why was this question here?

"Is something wrong?" It was the look in his eyes. He had such a peculiar look in his eyes, and I was genuinely curious to know what was on his mind.

"No... Not really anyway." Levi sighed and pushed his bangs out of his face. "I'm thinking too hard, that's all."

"What are you thinking about?" I asked curiously. Levi breathed in deeply, held onto that deep breath for a few moments, and then let out another heavy sigh. I could hear relief in this sigh, however. What was it for?

"... I'm just trying to figure out why I was married to Petra for ten years, but I could never tell her anything that she didn't already know. Then you come along, and my life is an open book for you." He simply stated. He closed his eyes again, and I took it as a sign that I wasn't going to be able to ask him to elaborate anymore. He probably didn't know why himself, so it was fine that way.

"Maybe you were just ready to get everything off of your chest..." I suggested quietly, more to myself than him. Levi barely shrugged his shoulders before tightening his arms around me again.

"...  _Maybe..._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey~! Next chapter and the two following are all Levi's POV. YAY~! And they're very long! NOOO!


	18. My Past is a Gruesome One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, let's begin with this: THIS IS A LONG CHAPTER! ALSO!  
> Warnings... Lots and lots of warnings. Mentions of child abuse and rape, drug addictions, violence, cussing, and looooots of shizzles... I am sorry. This needs to be out though. Levi's past needs to be established, because to better understand everything going on now, you need to see how he grows up, what his triggers are, what's really important to him, and most importantly, how he is who he is now. So the next three chapters will establish that, and I'm sorry they're so long. Isabel is an adorable little shit and I love writing about her. XD

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter: 18** **  
** **My Past is a Gruesome One** ****  


* * *

My legs felt numb, willing me to give out, to fall face first into the dirt, lie down, and die, but I kept going.

The wind wasn't in my lungs anymore; that'd gone away a long time ago, and it burnt my lungs with every rasp of breath. I was panting, and I couldn't collect air no matter what I did. My eyes stung with frustration and tears that I didn't want to fall.

I wasn't going to cry, not yet, at least. I was almost there. This was their dirt road, and up ahead was their quaint, little house. The flowers were there, lining the walk way. The lights were off, leaving the house dark. The car headlights were on, the car was moving.

No...

"Grandma, grandpa!" I called out, waving my hand up in the air. I didn't know why, but my legs chose this moment to give out. I fell into the dirt and rocks with a heavy thud, my face scrapping against the sharp, jagged edges as I gasped for air. My lungs clenched, pain wracking through my body, mainly my ribs, as I coughed and sputtered for air. Dust clogged my airways, and my tears created mud. I couldn't hold it back anymore.

I didn't want to be left behind.

I felt arms wrap around my shoulders, and I screamed with the fear of being touched. I kicked and clawed, afraid to open my eyes, but I heard the familiar voices of my great grandparents above me. I hadn't even realized that they had pulled over to help me.

"It's just us, Rivaille! It's just us!" Grandfather's voice was like a sign from God, if he even existed, and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders when I realized that I was safe.

"Grandpa..." My voice shuddered, as did the rest of my body, as I finally allowed myself to breakdown.

I was safe.

"Rivaille, what are you doing here so late at night?" My grandmother asked. "You should be home!" She reprimanded.

I fisted my hands together behind my grandfather's neck. The mention of that place made my skin crawl, made my stomach do flips, and it made me want to vomit.

"I can't go back there!" I screeched into my grandfather's coat.

"Rivaille, I know it is hard to bear, but you-" I couldn't let him finished.

"They raped me!" I cried. The silence that fell between my great grandparents was unsettling, and I could feel them exchanging glances back and forth from me to each other. "Him and all of his fucking friends..." I growled.

"My baby..." My grandmother said and touched my back. I flinched upon the touch; I wasn't used to such caring, but foreign touches.

"Let's get you inside. I'll get you some clean clothes." My grandfather said and lifted me up. I couldn't bother to care that he was holding me like a baby. I was tired, I was cold, and I was scared, but he was warm, welcoming, and safety. That's all that mattered.

"I'll make you some food. What do you want to eat, baby?" My grandmother asked. I was too tired to answer, and I was asleep in a matter of seconds.

* * *

The blankets were warm around me, and, with the soft cushions of my grandparents couch below my head, I could have slept on, but I couldn't. I heard yelling. It was distant, but angry and upset.

Was it my parents? Were they drunk? Were they high? Were they arguing about what to do with me? Was I going to be raped again?

I really didn't think I could handle it if that happened again. I would have rather been dead. This was the truth.

No. The voices were too healthy, too light. These voices weren't my parents.

I opened my heavy eyes and looked around. I couldn't have been out long, because it was still dark. I was in my great grandparents' house, like I previously assumed, and I heard my grandmother's frantic voice coming from the kitchen. I sat up, pushing the three or four blankets on me off and to the side. My legs screamed in protest, my lower back pinching in agony.

It hurt, but I kept going.

I limped my way into the kitchen, rubbing my eyes with my shirt sleeve as I watched her argue. She was on the phone, and she was very upset.

"We have our evidence now, and you won't get away with this!" She growled into the line. There was a pause, allowing me to hear a distant voice in the background, before she continued. "You can't have him! You don't treat him like a son, and you have no right to call him that!"

She was talking about me. Who was she talking to; my mother? My father…?

"No, if you come over, I will call the police! I will have you arrested and-"  
There was a pause. "No! I won't let you touch him! You will never see him again so long as I am alive!" With that being said, she slammed the phone back into the port.

I barely jumped to the sound of the phone cracking. I had never seen my grandmother so angry before. It was scary to say the least.

"Grandma...?" I quietly called out. She turned, and I saw the presence of tears in her eyes. She wiped them away and came to my side, her hands soft and gentle, and her voice much the same way.

"Oh baby, what are you doing up? You should be sleeping." She said and guided me to the couch again.

"I heard you yelling..." I mumbled.

"Oh, there was someone trying to sell me something on the other line. They have been bugging us old people now for a while." She said with a funny grin. She was a good liar, I'll give her that. I might have believed her had I not heard the conversation on the other line. "Do not worry, my baby."

"Okay..." She helped me sit down on the couch and wrapped me back up in the blankets I had kicked away. It was warm, a little unnerving, but I would rather have this warmth than the cold room I usually slept in.

"Are you hungry yet, baby?" She asked. "I can make you anything you want to eat."

"I'm a little hungry." That was a lie; I was  _starving._  I hadn't eaten in two days, and what I had two days ago was nowhere near beneficial for me. Legally, it wasn't even food. "I'll eat anything you make."

"Okay. You can read one of the books on the coffee table, and I will make you some food." She patted my head gently, kissed my forehead, and left the room. I was left to my own thoughts, but they didn't last long.

I was asleep so fast that I felt like I had gotten whiplash.

* * *

When I woke up again, it was morning. The sun was bright, leaking in through the curtains and waking me up on its own. I sighed, annoyed that I was awake, but I wasn't deterred by it. I hadn't had such a good night's sleep in such a long time, and I felt good. I felt like I could blink without sleep in my eyes, walk around and not yawn when someone talked. It was an odd sensation, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to welcome this sense of health or security.

Because I had slept through the night meant that my parents never came for me. Why didn't they come after such a fuss over the telephone last night? Had they come, and had my grandmother really called the police on them? Had they just not bothered to come get me? Were they ever going to come get me?

Was I finally safe?

I couldn't handle not knowing. I shoved the blankets away and climbed off of the couch. I limped back into the kitchen where I had found my grandmother last night, and I found my grandfather now accompanying her.

Something was off. Something was wrong. Grandmother was sitting in her chair, slumped over the table with her face in her hands, and she was crying. Grandfather was patting her back, saying things that were soothing, but were too quiet for me to hear. Why was she upset? Why was she crying?

"Grandpa, grandma...?" I quietly called out. The two of them looked to me, and grandmother cleared the tears leaking from her eyes and slipping down her cheeks. She looked like a mess.

"Oh, good morning, my boy." Grandfather said, but his voice cracked and pinched in all of the wrong and unusual places.

Something was wrong.

"Good morning, baby. Did you sleep okay?" Grandmother couldn't even look at me without looking away. She had too much evidence on her face, and she knew it. I wasn't some eight year old; I could see when someone was in pain. When I didn't respond to her, my grandfather spoke again.

"You must be hungry by now. What do you want to eat?" He asked and walked over to the small refrigerator. "We have plenty of leftovers if you want to clean those up." He tried to joke.

"What's going on?" I demanded, but I sounded so weak and sick. Was that really my voice that came out of me?

My grandparents looked at each other for a moment, sadness falling on their already sullen faces. My grandmother stood up from the table, having some difficultly with it because of her old bones, and stepped closer to me. She got down on her knees, her hands on my shoulders, and, past her glasses, I saw fresh tears turning her eyes red.

"Rivaille, baby... We got a call late last night..." She said, her voice shivering. "And... It was about your parents..."

No, I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want to hear that I was going back there. I didn't want to go back there. I wanted to stay with my great grandparents where I was safe. Was that so hard to ask for?

Why would no one believe me? Why would no one believe my grandparents? They weren't senile, and I wasn't a baby. I was someone getting abused by his parents, and I was the victim of every torture they thought up. Why couldn't anyone see that?

"I don't want to go back there!" I cried, panic striking me hard. I pulled in grandmother's arms, but she held me tight and kept me still.

"No, no, Rivaille, you don't have to go back there ever again now." I stilled from my fighting to listen to her, but the words didn't make sense to me. What was she saying?

"... What do you mean?" I asked, turning to look at my grandfather. He couldn't look me in the eye. Something was wrong.

"Baby..." My grandmother placed a hand on my shoulder, patting it in a comforting way.

"What happened...?" I asked.

"Your parents... Were found in your house this morning..." Her words were shaky, and she couldn't breathe right. She swallowed noisily, like she was trying to prepare herself for the next words, but, when she opened her mouth, they didn't come out.

"Found...?" There was a part of me that knew exactly what she meant. I knew, but there was another part that was feigning ignorance. I didn't want to believe it, and I also  _did_  want to believe it.

"... They're dead, Rivaille." My grandfather finally said, sparing my grandmother the pain of the words. I felt a lump rise in my throat, constricting my breathing. I felt a cold chill go down me, and I couldn't feel my heart beat. Had it stopped?

"W... Why? H-How? I-I don't understand..." I started to panic, and my grandmother wrapped her arms around me in a comforting hug.

"I'm sure you know, but they didn't suffer." I knew for sure that, that was a lie. There was no way they didn't suffer through  _that._

"But..." My voice was muffled by my grandmother's blouse.

"It's okay, son." My grandfather said and touched my shoulder. I flinched and pulled myself out of my grandmother's hug. I was suffocating, truly suffocating, and all she was doing was hugging me. I couldn't breathe though, and I didn't need anyone touching me.

"Rivaille-" My grandmother began.

"It's not okay!" I yelled and left the room. Even with the ache in my legs and lower back, I ran, and I ran out of that house as fast as I could. I heard my great grandparents call after me, but I didn't stop or turn to look at them. I didn't need to be smothered right now.

I ran down the road I can in from. I wasn't going back there; hell no, but I couldn't be around them. I couldn't be around anyone right now. I couldn't breathe with them hugging me and telling me that everything was going to be okay when I knew it wasn't. It was odd that I couldn't breathe then, and now I was running on this dirt road, and I still couldn't breathe.

The air burned my eyes, or maybe it was the tears; I vaguely remember those slipping down my cheeks. I kept running though, and I didn't stop until my legs broke out from under me. I hit the ground hard again, my hands, elbows, knees, and chin skidding into the dirt. It stung, but my lungs hurt more than the tiny scratches I had just received. I coughed and sputtered the dust that gathered in my nose and eyes, but there was still the burning that I couldn't get rid of.

"Shit..." I huffed and pushed myself up onto my bleeding arms. My lungs continued to burn, but rational thoughts came back quickly.

They were dead. My parents were dead. They had overdosed on whatever drug of their choice, probably acid, and killed themselves. Had it been their intention to kill themselves, or what it been an accident? Had they been distraught at the thought of losing me?

No, of course not.

I didn't care. I felt a smile split across my face, and, for the first time in God knows how long, I was happy.

I was safe.

* * *

"Class, I'm sure you're all aware of the exchange student in today." My ears perked up at the sound of the teacher's voice. I lifted my head away from the window, my eyes looking around at the new surroundings I'd forced myself into.

Everyone was staring. It wasn't like I cared, nor did I care for what their thoughts about me were. I hadn't come here for their attention, just to get away.

I couldn't stay in France anymore. It may have been home for me, but it wasn't the same. There were reminders all around me, reminders of  _them_ , and I couldn't stand it. It was suffocating and I couldn't breathe no matter how far away I got, mentally or physically.

In the end, I had no choice but to leave. My great grandparents weren't happy about it, especially since all I did was left them a note saying I was leaving. When I got to America and called them… I'm pretty sure my grandfather broke the receiver because of his yelling. My grandmother threatened to come and get me herself, which was more frightening than my grandfather's yelling.

It took so much to convince them. My main argument was that I was already here, so why not just stay? It wasn't convincing as my sobs of desperation, but it helped.

So here I was now. Four thousand miles away and in a school where I got nothing but ugly, muted stares from students.

"I expect you to be nice to our new student." The teacher, some man who was bald with hallow eyes, pulled up a clipboard and looked at it. He glared at it, and for a moment, I had the distant feeling that he was trying to put my name together. I had heard that American's were bad with other languages, but that couldn't have been true, right?

"Ah, so your name is Rivalli."

I was sadly mistaken.

I simply shook my head, and the eyes seemed more curious and intense than before. I wasn't upset by their stares; no, of course not. It was just simply unnerving that so many people seemed so interested in someone who was simply from another country.

"How do you pronounce it?" He asked. I sighed a little.

"My name is pronounced Rivaille." I said slowly.

"Rivill… Ravaille…" He tried again. I rolled my eyes and looked back out the window. I didn't really care at the moment. Instead, my teacher cleared his throat and set the clipboard down. "Well, I'm your new teacher. My name is Keith Shadis, but you can call me Mr. Shadis."

"Mr. Shardis…" I mumbled and looked at him from the corner of my eyes. I saw his twitch with annoyance, and I barely let a smirk form on my lips. Barely. It was just my way of getting back at him.

"It's Mr. Shadis." He practically growled. "Anyway, welcome to our homeroom. I know it's the middle of the school year, but I'm sure everyone here is willing to help you pick up everything we've gone over so far." He insisted.

I looked at the class. I wasn't sure how I felt when almost all eyes suddenly turned away. Was I upset or relieved that I didn't want anyone to help me?

"Well, do we have any volunteers to help him around the school for the first week?" Keith asked. I glared at everyone. It was silent, some students looking at one another, as if waiting for someone to simply do it.

I really wasn't expecting to see a hand go up.

"Ah, Miss Ral. Glad to see someone with enthusiasm." Shadis said. I looked over to the girl who had raised her hand. She was so petite and tiny, kind of like me. I think she as even smaller. She had big, brown eyes, and orange hair pulled up into a pony tail on the back of her head.

I could already tell that was some long hair on her.

"Alright, well that can start after class. I need everyone to open up their text books to chapter eight. We left off with the founder of Constantinople. Do any of you even remember the name?" He asked, sounding even more annoyed. I couldn't blame him.

Constantinople was named after the man who founded it, and the names were too similar not to remember.

I was about to raise my hand, to answer the question and give the students around me a break, but the phone to the room suddenly went off. Keith left the chalk board to answer it, and some of the students looked around at each other, as if looking for the answer while Keith had an argument on the phone. He hung up after a few moments, and groaned audibly.

"I'll be back." He said and left the room. One, two, three seconds past before everyone relaxed. Some kids left their seats, walking across the room to talk to others. After all the glaring I had done, I wasn't surprised that no one came to me. I had been a big talker beforehand, but I wasn't so anymore. I was just some French ass who no one wanted to even look at.

Fine by me. They didn't need to give me attention, because that wasn't what I was here for. I was here for an education, that that was it.

"Uhm, excuse me?" I lifted my head when hearing a timid voice from behind me. Standing by my side was the girl who had volunteered to help me in school, her hands fiddling behind her back and her toes close together on the floor. Despite the nervous tendencies, she didn't have any problems looking me in the eyes.

"What…?" I asked. Well, she had courage, I'll give her that. She seemed just fine getting barked at by me.

"My name is Petra Ral. I guess I'll be helping you around the school." She said, a smile spreading on her lips. I barely rolled my eyes and looked away, back to the window so I could look outside. There was some football practice going on outside, and while I didn't give two shits about football, anything was better than this annoying situation. "Uh… You can understand me, can't you?" She asked.

"I can understand you just fine. I just don't feel like talking to you." I replied. There was a moment of silence, and then footsteps walking away. Good, that got her to go away.

"Well then that doesn't mean you aren't listening." Suddenly, Petra pulled a chair up in front of my desk and sat down. Hadn't she just walked away? Maybe I had heard someone else doing it. I tried looking away, but she had such a happy, goody grin on her face. I had thought I had done just fine making her upset, but I guess not. What was she so happy for?

"So, your name was… R-Rivialle?" She asked and tilted her head.

"Nah, Petra! His name is Raviolli!" A boy called out from the other side of the classroom. We both sent angry glares over to the group of boys clustered together by some desks, but Petra spoke first.

"Oh shut up, Auruo!" She yelled at them. The one she called Auruo simply waved a hand at her and scoffed. He acted so big and tough, but his name was no better than mine. How did she say his name again? "Ignore him. He's just a big jerk." Petra said.

"You were close." I interjected.

"Huh?"

"You were close. It's pronounced Rivaille." I explained, slowing down when I said my name. Petra's eyes seemed to brighten in an odd sort of way, a way that made my heart ache. It didn't hurt, but the feeling made me uncomfortable.

"Rivaille," She repeated. "Is that right?"

"Yes, but your accent gives you away." I said with a smirk. Somehow this didn't upset her.

"Well, I just started French this year." She said with a blush. "Maybe you could be my tutor?" She insisted while rubbing her hands together under the desk. I smiled, because she did have a cute thing about her.

I wasn't interested, but it wasn't like I could ignore every cute girl who crossed my path.

"Well I guess I have to repay somehow for showing me around the school." I sighed.

"Really? Y-You mean you'd really help me?" She was too shocked for her own good.

"Yeah, why not?" I shrugged.

"T-Thank you! That would be such a help!" She grabbed at my hand and shook it vigorously. I didn't appreciate such a sudden touch, especially from anyone other than family. I know people are different in America, but that doesn't make things any different for me.

I'm still scarred.

"O-Okay, could you let me go?" I questioned and pulled on my hand. Petra released me quickly, her cheeks flushing a bright pink in embarrassment. She tried laughing it off, but who did she think she was kidding?

"Right, I-I'm sorry. I got a little carried away."

"Obviously," I muttered.

"So um…" She began. "W-What's your schedule like? Would it be alright if I looked at it?" She asked. I shook my head before reaching into my backpack and pulling out my new schedule for school. I handed it to her, and she began reading it over quickly.

"Wow, you have a lot of advanced classes…" She mumbled as she read over it.

"Is that a problem?" I asked her.

"Oh no, I have five other classes with you. I just wasn't sure how much you knew and didn't know when it came to our country. I'm a little uneducated in that department myself." She said with a laugh.

"Oh…"

"Wait, you're taking French?" She questioned. "You're from France though, aren't you? I mean… W-Why are you taking a class in French when you already speak it?"

"I don't feel like picking up Spanish, and there aren't any other interesting languages in your school to learn." I explained with a shrug. "Is that wrong?"

"No, it's not. You're in the same class as me too." Petra lifted the paper with a smile and pointed out. "This works out well for us. We can just go to class together then."

"I guess it's a good thing you picked up this job then." I mumbled. Petra hummed before handing me back my paper.

"So, where did you learn to speak English? Did you learn in school?"

"No, my great grandfather is a military child. He grew up in America for some years, and he taught me himself." I told her.

"That's pretty cool. Your English is really good too. You have a bit of an accent, but it's not that bad." She said.

"I'm flattered." I mused.

"Hey, Shadis is coming!" One of the students had been standing by the door, keeping an eye out for the teacher. Obviously they had done their job. At the announcement that Shadis was coming back, everyone had scurried back into their seats, hoping not to get caught. Petra placed her chair into the empty desk she took and from and waved her hand at me.

"I'll talk to you after class." She whispered and ran to her seat. She made it back in just in time for Shadis to walk in, angry and annoyed. I had a feeling this was per the usual for him.

"Glad to see that everyone behaved themselves." He spoke up. "Now, let's get back to class, shall we?" He insisted. I looked away, but instead of looking outside to the practice going on with the football team, I looked over to Petra.

She was looking back at me, a smile on her lips as she waved a hand at me. I silently chuckled to myself and rolled my eyes, but she didn't seem deterred by my actions. She didn't seem upset by anything I did, which was odd, but endearing all at the same time.

I hadn't just made a friend, had I?

* * *

The cold cement didn't feel good on my back, and neither did the rain soaking through my clothes. I pushed myself up onto my elbows, my chest heaving for air, but it was brutally kicked out of me by the thick-skulled Neanderthal standing over me. I coughed, and I could taste a minimum of blood on my lips.

Was this really how it was going to end for me?

"Little shit ain't so big now, is he?" The man standing next to him said. Another stood behind me, he foot constantly tapping against my spine in a teasing manner.

"Such a big talker for such a short shit," He commented. I glared up at him, and my eyes would be burning holes into his head at this point if I had it my way.

"Fils de pute. Va te faire enculer." I cursed at him. Of course I knew that his tiny American brain couldn't comprehend my native tongue; that's what made it all the more satisfying.

"What was that, you little shit?" The man asked and grabbed at the color of my bloody shirt. "You've got something you want to say to me?"

"I said you're a son of a bitch, and to go get fucked up your ass!" I barked at him.

"Little fucker talks big," One of his friends laughed. Apparently the laughter his friends did was not what the man liked. He didn't like being thrown into the dirt like I was.

Good.

"Little shit," He shoved my face down onto the ground, knocking my head against the concrete. I groaned in pain, but he was far from done. I felt the pain of his metal-toed shoe strike me in the back, and then again and again. I must have felt a rib or two break once he was done kicking me, but it wasn't enough for him. He turned me to lie on my back, directly where the pain was, and shoved his boot into my stomach. I clawed at him leg, but my blunt nails couldn't phase through his torn up jeans. "I dare you to call me that again!"

"Bastard..." I hissed and he pushed down harder. I felt my insides being crushed, and some sickening sound snap within me. I was pretty sure it was a couple more ribs, but I was in too much pain to place the pinpoint the sound.

"Fuck you, you Chinese prick."

"So s-stupid you can't even recognize French from Chinese." I groaned out. He spat on me for that, and I couldn't have been more disgusted. Lord only knew what disgusting sexual diseases he had on him.

"That's it," He growled and grabbed at my arms. He pulled me onto my feet, and my broken bones ground together in the worst pain I could ever imagine. He slammed me into the wall, pinning my hands above my head with only one hand. The position alone made my body stretch, and I couldn't pull away; I was in too much pain. "I'm sure this will shut you up." Just as he said that, I felt his free hand grabbing at the buckle of my belt.

My heart skipped beats, my blood raced within my veins, and my breath turned cold. I heard him unbuckle the clasp, and I screeched out in protest. My whole body hated the idea of moving, but I couldn't let this happen.

No, not again. I didn't want this to happen again. I couldn't handle it if this happened to me again.

"Look at the big talker now!" One of the men cheered. The rest egged him along to continue, and all I could do was writhe in his grasp and cry.

"Beg me, bitch. Beg me to stop." He demanded with a gross breath in my ear. Beg him and totally demean myself? I'd rather be dead.

"Fuck you," I growled at him. I wasn't going to give up. He bit down on my shoulder, and I felt my skin break from under my shoulder. I cried out, pulling on my wrists for freedom, but all that did was cause him to yank at the rim of my pants.

"I said beg!" He commanded. I felt the pressure on my wrists loosen, if only by a little, and only for a half a second.

This was a chance I couldn't let slip.

I tugged harshly, getting one wrist free. I sent my elbow back, and I could have grinned at the sound of his nose breaking. Unfortunately it did nothing to kill him, but it got the rest of me free. I threw my fist back at him again and again, hitting him over and over anywhere I could. It felt like my knuckles were breaking with each hit, but it was life or death. If I really was going to die, I was going to make sure I did some damage.

Just as his back hit the wall, I saw the shimmering glint of his gun hanging loosely under the rim of his pants. I pulled it free and held it up, pointing it at him while I continuously glared at him. I heard nothing but the rain, and the men that had been standing by and watching were frozen where they now stood.

"Y-You wouldn't... You don't have the guts..." The man against the wall stuttered out through broken teeth. I clenched my jaw in annoyance.

"Let's bet your life on it." I said and pulled the trigger. One shot to the shoulder. I pulled again. Another to his leg. He screamed in agony just as I was pulling the trigger again.

The bullet in my gun didn't go off, but a gun did go off. I felt a searing pain in my thigh, and I dropped to the ground, gun falling from my hands as I covered my new wound. It burned like hell, and all of the pain in my body seemed to accumulate all over, and I was finally reminded of how much pain I truly was in.

I was going to die, wasn't I?

"What a wonderful performance," There was a sudden clap of hands, and the group of men who had been dumbfounded parted. There stood a frightening man with a rather grotesque beard and short hair covered by a top hat. He had terribly sharp features, his chin and cheek bones protruding in ways I had never seen on a person. He was tall, and he looked like a walking skeleton with how thin he was. Against his hips were gun holsters, but only one had a gun in it; the other was in his clapping hands. "It brought tears to my eyes. Or is that the rain?"

I ground my teeth together in anxiety in fear. I bit back the pain as I looked for the gun only inches from my hand. I reached out to grab it, but his foot stomped down on me, and I screeched out, trying to pull my hand free, but he wouldn't budge. How did he move so fast?

"Boy's, take copious notes. Even with a broken and defeated body, he's still fighting to survive." The man stated and looked back to the group of men. He then peered down at the man I had beaten to a bloody mess and frowned. "You're a pathetic example." He said.

"I-I'm sorry, boss." The man, stammered. So this was the actual leader of this gang?

I really am going to die.

"What's your name, kid?" The man asked as he kneeled down beside me. The weight of his foot doubled in pressure, but whether that was on purpose or unintentional I wasn't sure of. All I knew was that I was in pain and I wasn't going to answer. "I know you speak English, enough to cause such a mess with my subordinates." He said.

I lifted my head enough to glare at him and bear my teeth, but it didn't faze him any. If anything, he seemed rather pleased with my reaction.

"Maybe it would be less anxiety for you if I gave my name. Hello, I'm Kaney." He said and held out his hand. Was he trying to mock me? "You've already met my men here, and caused a bit of trouble as I see it."

"Fuck you," I spat at him.

"Fuck you? Who names their child fuck you?" He asked and turned to the idiots still standing behind him. They looked just as dumbstruck as I felt. "Not a good name for a young boy like you. How old are you?" He asked.

"Sir...?" One of the men spoke up. "W-What are you doing?"

"Making light conversation." Kaney replied. "So, name, age?" He asked again. I looked to the ground, but the pressure on my hand increased. I had to hold back a whimper, because I knew something would eventually snap if he kept doing that.

He was doing it on purpose.

"Your name...?" He asked, his voice rising just the slightest. "At least be polite."

"R-Rivaille," I groaned out.

"Rivi... Rivall..." Here we go  _again._  "Rivi rival little lival levy levi. How about Levi? Levi is easier to say." He suggested.

"It's Rivaille," I repeated, my name coming out slower. I really hated it when people couldn't pronounce my name right.

"So, Levi," Was he ignoring me? "How old are you?" A slight pressure was added to my hand. This wasn't a question; it was a demand.

"S-Sixteen," I huffed and pulled at my hand. To my absolute relief, he released me, and I instantly cradled my hand into my beaten and bruised chest. I gave him what he wanted.

"Sixteen. A little young to be in this kinda trouble, don't ya think?"

"Fuck you," I growled again.

"No, it's Levi." His arm touched my shoulder. If I wasn't in so much pain, I would have tried running again. However, the blood loss was starting to make me dizzy and breathless. "So little Levi, I'm going to take a wild shot in the dark here," Kaney said and twirled his gun back and forth. "You don't have a family, do ya?" He asked.

I glared at him with as much hate as I could muster up.

"Mhm, that's what I thought. Bet ya aren't in school either. You're too smart for these fools, and that got you in trouble, when in reality the school was the one failing you, wasn't it?" He asked and pushed his gun back into its holster. My eyebrows furrowed in concentration as I stared at him, not so much with hatred anymore, but with confusion.

Was he really guessing? It was too precise to be a simple guess. How did he know my situation then?

"I'm going to guess that you don't have any family in this country either. Everyone else you care for is back where you are from, and that's left you absolutely homeless here in America, right?"

"How do you know?" I meant to sound really pissed off and angry, but I couldn't seem to do that. Blame it for the lack of blood and the pain in my body, but I couldn't seem to be angry.

"Cause I'm old. I know my way around the world." Kaney explained, but I didn't buy it for a minute. "Because you're young and don't know shit." He added. I couldn't disagree with him on that one, but I blamed that on the pain as well.

I wanted to sit up, hopefully get some distance between us, if only an inch, but it hurt. He was too close for my liking.

"Boss...?" One of the men said behind Kaney. Said man standing in front of me grumbled under his breath before grabbing at my arm and pulling up. I clenched my teeth together to hide the pain, but it was too much. I inevitably let out of cry of pain and protest as he pulled me to my feet. The pain in my thigh shot right up and down my body, and my knees buckled out from under me. Kaney's arms were around me in an instant though, lifting me up in a bridal like hold that I didn't appreciate.

"Let me go!" I cried and hit his chest with my good hand. He didn't even flinch to it.

"Alright boy's, grab your friend here and let's go." Kaney said and began walking.

"W-Wait, boss, what are you doing with him?" One of the men asked.

"Bringing little Levi with us." He responded like it was an everyday question. I felt a surge of panic hit me at the explanation, but I was in too much pain to thrash in his arms; part of that was because he was holding me the way he was while I had several broken bones in my chest.

"Why...?" The man I had beaten up tried standing, but he couldn't do it without the aid of his friends. Kaney stopped, and I looked up at him to see the oddest expression on his face. He seemed angry, but sad and confused all at the same time. He also seemed dead set on something, something I didn't know.

"Tell me something," He said, his voice low and threatening. "When Levi began shooting a gun, you all hesitated, didn't you?" He questioned. His men fell silent, and I had stopped struggling by this point. "Levi didn't though. Up against a group of thugs, and he pulled a gun and was ready to kill."

"He didn't kill me," The guy growled.

"He was about to had I not stopped him." Kaney looked over his shoulder at the group of guys behind him. "He just wanted to watch you suffer. He's fighting right now even with his injuries, so get up and stop being such a damn pussy." He demanded with a hiss and turned his head back around.

"What... Are you doing?" I questioned, but I noticed that my words were failing me. Things around me were getting fuzzy and dark, and I found myself very tired.

"I don't just take in thugs. Most of the kids in my gang are kids with no homes to begin with. Without families or a roof over their heads, where would they possibly go in a world so cruel?" He asked me. I blinked at him wearily. I couldn't think of a good answer, or rather, I couldn't think of a straight answer at all.

I was really tired.

"What do you say, Levi?" He asked. "It's probably better than your situation now."

"Mhf..." I tried responding, but I couldn't seem to get a grip on myself.

"I'll take that as a yes."

* * *

"Hey, Levi," I lifted my head when my name was called. Some boy stood by, a boy I didn't recognize; he must have been new. He was taller, taller than me (most usually are), with white hair combed back and out of his face. He had a bandage around his arm, and two more on his wrists.

Yeah, he must have been a new kid. He still had injuries.

"What the fuck do you want?" I asked while blowing out smoke. He seemed taken aback by me; no doubt he hasn't heard my name yet.

"Ah... Uhm..."

"What...? Spit it out already."

"Uh, the boss wanted to see you." He said while looking at the ground.

"Kaney...? The fuck does he want?" I took one more puff from my cigarette before dropping it to the ground and stomping it out. "Well...?"

"H-He didn't say-"

"Look at the person when you're talking to them. Don't be such a rude little shit." I quipped before pushing past the guy, our shoulders bumping. No, I didn't apologize. Why would I?

"S-Sorry, Levi..." He muttered behind me. I looked over my shoulder once more to get one last look at him.

Yeah, I definitely didn't know who this was, nor did I care.

No skin off me though. I didn't care. Kaney wanted to see me, and that's all that mattered for now.

I made my way throughout the apartment building, temporarily relishing in the warmth. It was getting cold outside for August, but Kaney made sure that this building that he owned was properly taken care of for us kids. I was thankful, that was for sure, so why would I ever question something silly like why did he own a whole apartment building? Why did no one question how he owned it and had so many minors under the roof?

I didn't know why, and I didn't question it. I simply made my way to his office, not stopping for a thing.

I knocked lightly on his door when I got there, and there was a quick approval from inside before I opened the door.

"Kaney...?" I called out.

"Yo, Levi!" Kaney slurred from his bar. A bar in the office; wish I had one of my own.

"You aren't drunk again, are you?" I asked as I shut the door behind me.

"No, not yet at least. I've got two, maybe three more shots of vodka before I hit the floor." He joked.

"Don't do that while I'm here. I've had my fair share of dealing with drunken fools." I said before he motioned for me to come close.

"Sit with me Levi."

"What was it you wanted to see me for?" I asked as I sat down in the bar stool next to him. "And who was the kid who talked with me."

"A new recruit: Farlan Church. Apparently his parents committed suicide and tried to take him with them, but he made it out alive." Kaney explained as he sipped on his drink.

"Explains the bandages." I muttered. Kaney lifted up his bottle of vodka, holding it out as a gesture for me to take it. I did and poured myself a glass.

"Yep. His aunt took him in, but he couldn't be around her. I don't know how he found his way here, but he did."

"You're too kind a soul to turn a helpless kid away." I said.

"True, true. Anyway, he's part of what I need to talk to you about." Kaney took the vodka from me and poured another shot. What was this, his second or third? And how many drinks has he had before I got here.

"What's this about?" I stared at him from the corner of my eyes, glaring daggers at him.

"How long have you been with us now, Levi?" He asked and twirled his drink around. "Almost a year, right? It's gotta be. Your birthday is in December, which will put you at seventeen..." He began to drift off. I irritably snapped my fingers in his face, making him jump in place from surprise.

"I said no parties." I growled.

"No, no, that's not it... But only because I didn't think about it." He chuckled. "I'm just thinking about how long it's been since I saved you. Quite a few months now. Anyway, you've only been on ten or thirteen missions so far for me, but you've exceeded all of my expectations."

"I'm flattered, Kaney." I sighed and poured myself another shot. When had my glass become empty?

"Awe shut it. Anyway, I know your arm is still healing and a little sore from the last mission, but I have one more I need you to pick up for me."

"And I'm doing well, thank you." I quipped. "Kaney, I'm tired. I don't want to do this." I whined and lowered my head to the comfort of my good arm.

"I know you don't, Levi, but it's important. I've got a guy who owes me money, and he ain't paying up."

"Get that new kid to do it." I set my, once again, empty glass down on the counter and stood. Fuck, that vodka was strong. My legs were already wobbly.

"Levi, just hear me out." Kaney said and turned in his seat. I sighed and sat back down, but I was going to lie and say that it was the vodka making me dizzy, not that I really wanted to hear him out. "Thank you. Now, this isn't some simple "get the money and go" job. That Farlan kid? Well, he's already proven himself."

"How so?"

"He's found out on his own that this shit-faced motherfucker is trafficking humans for money, and where's that money? Hell if I know, but none of it ain't coming to me. It's not so much that I am disgusted and want my money; I do, but he's selling kids. Kids, Levi. Children who haven't even hit double digits yet. God only knows what's happening to those poor souls..." He trailed off, and I knew why.

This was my time to think. I needed to let the information sink in, and it was.

Fuck, human trafficking? Why kids? Well, that's a dumb question. I know perfectly well why, because it's happened to me plenty of times before, but the idea still seemed impossible.

I knew it wasn't.

"Levi," I lifted my eyes to find him staring at me full force. He tilted his head to the side, his lips slightly parted to let his alcohol-laced breath fan across my face. I scrunched up my nose in disgust. "I know that this means something to you, you specifically. We can help them, Levi. Only us, but I need your hel-"

"I'll do it." I wouldn't even let him finish his sentence. "Just tell me when and where, and I'll do it."

Kaney's grin was widely unsettling.

"That's my boy, Levi."

* * *

It felt like my ears were burning. The sounds of the new recruit, Farlan, and his mission leader Fragon were annoying the shit out of me. They wouldn't stop bickering, and their bickering was becoming arguing, which would then lead to yelling. Did they really want to blow our cover before we even started the mission?

"Would you both keep your traps shut!" I hissed back at them in a hushed tone. Farlan and Fragon both looked up at me with a mixture of shock and surprise, but Fragon looked more pissed off than either of the two.

"Who are you to order me around?" He asked, stepping up in front of me.

"You want to be the first to get shot?" I wasn't going to back down. In fact, I stepped right in front of him and glared at him hard. It didn't matter if he was taller; I was better. "Then go ahead, but for the others, shut the fuck up and get the hell out of our way."

Yeah, that did it. If he wasn't scared of me before, he was now. He stepped back, partially out of fear while I went back to the task at hand. I pushed my anger aside in favor of remaining calm in a situation so intense, and I forced myself back into a calm demeanor. I continued with my previous task of fiddling with the lock on the door in front of me, and with one twist of my wrist and the blade jammed inside of it, it clicked and unlocked.

"Alright," I whispered and pulled my gun from its holster. I held it close as I opened the door and peered in. No one was in the hallway. I looked back to the others. "Remember what Kaney said; leave innocents out of this. Once we get the money we came for and go, Farlan can call the police and tell them about the shit he's doing. That's it."

"Don't step outside of our mission." I enforced. "Are we clear?" The four other guys standing behind me, excluding Farlan and Fragon nodded their heads. I brought a finger to my lips to signal them to keep quiet, and then pushed the door open more.

The hallway was empty, void of people and furniture. The only decorations were the metal numbers hanging off of the doors by single bullets. I stepped inside, my ears perked to the sounds of anything out of the ordinary, be it a cricket or someone getting beaten. Thankfully, there was neither of that.

"Where do we go from here?" Fragon asked behind me.

"Forward, but check these rooms beforehand." I said.

"What if someone is in one of the rooms?" Farlan asked. I barely jumped in surprise; he was right fucking behind me. When did he even get that close?

"If they're innocent, leave them be. Anyone else you just keep them quiet. I don't care what you do to do that, just keep their mouths shut." I directed and moved to the first door. I barely jiggled the doorknob before it opened. It was such a weak and pathetic door, and I was surprised that the door didn't come off its hinges. I ignored that structural flaw, however, and looked inside.

Someone was sleeping on the mattress on the floor, a thin, tattered blanket covering them. I squinted, and in the dark, I could see them stark bare. I had to keep a level head, because I knew that this would be over soon. Get the money, go, and then these people would be safe.

I felt pity and guilt for having to leave this person behind, but I didn't have a choice. Shivering and whimpering aside from the terrible degree of the room, I still shut the door and let the person rest. Lord only knows how long this person had before all hell was broken loose, let alone how long it had been for them since their last break.

I looked back to the others; trying to figure out what is was they were doing. Currently, three of them were waiting by a door, waiting to leave this hallway and get on with the mission. Farlan was at another door, futzing with the stupid thing and pulling at the doorknob like he was a dog tugging at a chew toy.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked as I practically stomped over to him. A better question would have been, "What in the hell is wrong with you?"

"The stupid door is jammed." He growled and pulled some more.

"Move it," I commanded and pushed at him, knocking him away just before my foot connected with the door and forced it open. A cloud of dust hit us all fast, leaving me and Farlan in a fit of coughing while the others covered their faces with their jackets.

"That's one way to do it." Sayram, Fragon's newest lackey, said. I coughed a few more times to clear my lungs before pulling my scarf over my nose and forcing my eyes open.

And then my eyes widened.

Inside the room, in the corner on the floor, was a little girl. She had her head buried between her knees, which were bare. Most of her was, except for the oversized shirt covering her body. The lack of clothing revealed her emaciated body, sending shivers down my spine. Her bones stuck out in gruesome ways that one would see mostly on television, and that was only for the night time television.

Everything about her, even down to her hair was disgusting. Her hair was short, like someone took a razor and simply cut it all off. It was matted and filthy, and it was so dirty, I wasn't sure if her hair color was red or if that was blood tangled in with her hair. The rest of her was much the same way, but I could make out the bruises hidden away behind the layers of dirt and,  _hopefully_  just water.

She was so tiny and small; she couldn't have been any older than five, if not younger. I knew Kaney said that there would be kids, so I expected the worst, but seeing the worst and expecting were two totally different things.

And I obviously expected wrong.

One would think that kicking a door open would scare anyone into backing into the wall, but no. When the dust settled enough for us to get a good glimpse of her, she slowly lifted her head. She squinted, possibly because of the light, but I could see her green eyes reflecting in the dark.

"It's a kid," Sayram gawked.

"Great observations, dipshit." I grumbled under my scarf. The little girl continued to look at us, or more specifically, at me. Was there something on me that she was looking at? I thought there was, but her eyes were looking directly into mine, not something that could have been on me.

"Shit, I-I didn't think…" Farlan began, but he stopped. Yeah, that's right; he didn't think.

Neither did I.

"What do we do?" Sayram asked.

"We leave her." Fragon said.

"But she's a kid!" Farlan exclaimed.

"It doesn't matter. We don't involve innocents. Our job is to get the money and go, and only then can we help by calling the cops and getting these people out of these situations." Fragon explained and turned his back. "Isn't that right, Levi?"

"Right…" I mumbled. The little's girl's eyes drifted to the others are they turned away to leave. I looked back myself, watching as they went to the door that we were previously at before Fragon looked back at me.

"What are you waiting for?" He asked me, probably annoyed.

"You go ahead." I said.

"What, why?" Farlan asked.

"I need to make sure I look around. I need to give Kaney a report of this, after all…" I grumbled, trying my best not to look at the girl, but anything other than that. So many door, and all of them probably had more children and adults than I could count.

How disgusting.

"That's not a good idea…" Sayram said, but one look from me and he dropped his head like a dog that had been caught digging through the trash.

"I don't care. I'll meet you ahead in five minutes. Don't get caught." I instructed. The lot of them looked at each other, Sayram and Fragon shrugging shoulders before moving. Farlan stuck around, seeming confused by my decision. I wasn't going to give him a reason for it though.

"What did I just say? Move it." I ordered. He looked away after another moment, and then left without a word.

This left me to myself. Well,  _almost_  to myself.

The little girl was still looking at me. There was no verbal explanation, no movement of her tiny body; nothing. She was absolutely still and quiet, leaving the only sounds to be what sounded like rain outside. When had it started raining?

I wasn't sure, and I didn't really care. I looked into the room more, squinting my eyes to adjust in the dark. Unlike the last room that had something considered a bed, there was nothing in here but a blanket, and it was torn, muddy, and tattered beyond repair. What a shitty living condition, especially for a kid. I looked back at her, but she hadn't taken her eyes off of me.

"What are you staring at?" I asked. There was no response, and I didn't know why I was surprised by that. I shouldn't have been surprised. After all, I was some stranger who bashed down a door locking her into a room with no windows and a blanket. I wouldn't blame her for the trust issues.

I sighed before stepping into the room. My skin crawled, because not two steps in did I step on something, God only knows what, that squished and made a disgusting sound under my boot. I was mortified by it, but there was a part of me that told me to look down, so I did. I couldn't see well with the dark lighting in the room, but I could smell, and what I smelled like something that had once been alive, but wasn't anymore. That was the smell of rotting flesh.

I only hoped that it wasn't human.

"Jesus…" I mumbled and stepped to the side. I looked back to the little girl, her eyes still trained on me. Had she ever left this room? "What's your name?" I asked.

Again, no response.

"Do you at least understand me?" I questioned. I wasn't expecting much, so it surprised me when she barley nodded her head. "So then why aren't you talking?" I don't know why I was disappointed when she didn't answer. "Seriously…" I grumbled.

I stepped forward, careful of my footing this time before kneeling down next to her. This close, I could smell the scent of feces, and I could have vomited. Of course it was coming off of her, because who else would it come from? It sure as hell wasn't me.

"How long have you been here?" I didn't know why I was bothering. There wasn't any verbal or body response, just her continuously looking at me. Why? Why were her eyes glued to me like that? Why wouldn't she look away? "Are you afraid of me?"

The question came out before I had a chance to really process it, but what did I care? It didn't matter to me what she thought, because she'd be safe soon. Whether she knew I helped her or not didn't matter, because she'd be home soon enough.

Where was her home? I could only wonder. I was sure that some little girl had a nice home with loving parents and a warm home to sleep in. She couldn't have been very old, maybe four years old at the most. She must have been getting ready for school.

I didn't know what that was like. My life was shit, and school was my only salvation. I didn't know it at the time. As I got older, I knew, and I thanked my school and my teachers for getting me away from my every day hell. Even if it meant sitting through boring lectures, I could deal with it.

It was better than being  _there._  There where I was beaten and raped for nothing but sheer entertainment. There where I was sold off for money for drugs and other things. There where people I didn't know came over to our house and "talked" with my parents.

It reminded me of now. I went places, "talked" to people who owed Kaney money. If they didn't comply, well, there met a fate worse than my parents own.

It served them right, all of them. They didn't do what was right, and I was simply taking care of them. I was doing something no cop could or  _would_  do, and I was doing a great job with it. People would cower at my feet, afraid of me, just like I was to those people who I saw when I was young.

I scoffed. I found it funny, because at some point, I remember my father saying the same things. He said he was helping people with what he was doing. What a bunch of garbage that was, because look where he was now. Eight feet under with nothing but a box to keep him company…

…  _Oh my God._

My eyes widened, and I found myself standing up and backing away from the little girl. Her eyes continued to follow me, but I couldn't seem to pay attention anymore. My eyes were busy look at where I was.

Where was I again? Some crack house for children was it?

Fuck, how did I get here? How was I here in this place? Why was I in this place, this place of nothing but feces and decomposing bodies on the ground? Where the ceiling was nothing but boards and beams and the door was hanging off of its hinges, but I could take the blame for that.

I didn't want to take the blame for it, however. I shouldn't be here. I didn't want to be here. I wanted to go home, wherever that was. I didn't know, but I needed to know. I needed my home, and I needed to be  _there_ and not  _here._

When did my life come to this? When did I fall so deep into this shit?

When did I become them?

"Fuck… S-Shit…" I paced back and forth across the room. I was so out of it, so I wasn't really sure if I had stepped on the remains of that body or not. Something crunched under my foot though, and I distantly recognized it as the sound of bones breaking.

I was afraid. I was afraid to look down, to look at the body, to look at the reality of  _this._  I didn't want to look at myself. I couldn't, and it was my entire fault. I got myself into this mess.

I sure as hell was going to get out of it.

With fear of the others coming back to get me, I quickly pulled my gun out from under the rim of my jeans and dropped it. I thought that was it, but then I remembered my little "stash" hidden beneath the lining of my sock. I pulled that out as well and tossed it, mindless to where it fell.

I didn't need it. I didn't need this in my life, and I needed to get away before it was too late.

With those being the only evidence on me that were now gone, I bolted for the door.  _Run, go home, and be free._  This is what my mind was telling me, but my body stopped. I looked over my shoulder, back to the little girl who hadn't budged an inch. She was still looking at me, as if expecting something.

What? What was she expecting from me? What could  _I_ possibly do for someone like  _her?_

I bit at my bottom lip before I moved back to her. I shrugged my jacket off, and then carefully placed it over her shoulders. She didn't seem too worried by my touch, but I couldn't take the chance.

"I'm going to get you out of here." I explained to her. I wasn't sure if she understood me, but that was fine. I was keeping her safe, and so long as she knew that, I was okay with it. What came next I was a little worried for.

She didn't have any shoes or socks on, and I didn't want her walking through the gross grime on the floor. Would she be okay with me picking her up? Would she panic, or would she understand?

"I need to pick you up. Is that okay?" I asked her. What surprised me this time was her lifting her arms, as if approving the statement. I lifted her up from under her arms and held her close.

Her baggy shirt covered too much, because she was a lot thinner than I previously perceived, and she was light. Fuck, she was light. I'd picked up tiny dogs with more weight to them, and that wasn't a joke.

In the process, my hands accidentally grazed her thigh. I shivered.

Fucking perverts didn't even have the decency to give her any underwear.

"Are you okay?" I asked. I felt her nod beside my head before I left the room. I exited the complex the way I came in, only to see that the rain had gotten worse. Not a doubt in my mind that this wouldn't become problematic, but I didn't care for that. I cared for the girl I was holding. With extra concern, I yanked my scarf off and tied it around her neck.

"Keep that on, okay?" Another nod. I looked back into the rain before going forward. I couldn't take my car, because they'd find me that way.

I had to run. I had to run and find a place that I could take her so she could be safe.

I only knew one.

* * *

The door opened in front of me, and seeing the girl from high school, her long, orange hair with that smile on her face, was like a gift from God, if one even existed. Petra's smile instantly faded into a frown, her eyes showing fear. Those brown eyes drifted to the girl in my arms, who had begun shivering from the rain. She was drenched from head to toe, and I'm sure my jacket and scarf didn't help any. I was sure it helped some, but now that they were soaked as well, I knew they would make her sick.

"Petra," I said, out of breath and tired. "I need your help."

The coffee mug that had been in her hand crashed to the floor. It shattered, and I felt guilty. I'd take full responsibility for that later, but for now, the little girl was more important.

"R-Rivaille," She stuttered.

"Please, Petra, I need your help." I said. She nodded her head vigorously before opening the door more and letting me in. I pushed past her, and I made a b-line straight for the closest thing to comfort in her living room, which was the couch.

"I'll get some blankets." I heard Petra say from behind me. I laid the little girl down on the couch, quickly yanking my scarf and jacket from her. I felt bad for dirtying Petra's couch, because now there was mud and other things on it that probably wouldn't come out. I'd fix that too, but later.

The little girl wouldn't stop shaking. Her body was wet and cold and I didn't know what to do to help. Was there anything I could do? I could have gotten rid of the disgusting shirt on her back, but would she be okay with that?

"Look out," Petra was back in a matter of seconds, two large and heavy blankets in her hands. She did what I was currently thinking, and she pulled the shirt off of the little girl, tossing it to the side. Her ribs stuck out in so many of the wrong places, and her hip bones were jutting. I couldn't bear to look, but Petra covered her up with one of the blankets quickly. "Rivaille, there's a first aid kit under the sink in the kitchen. Go get it." She instructed.

No need to tell me twice. I was up and in the kitchen fast, looking through the cupboards for the kit she spoke of. It wasn't hard to find, and I grabbed that, along with a cup of water, just in case. When I walked back in, Petra had somehow managed to move quicker than I had. She already had a warm wash cloth against the girl's head, and another was in her hand and covered with dirt. Without wanting to interrupt her, I set the first aid kit down by her and fell to my knees.

I was exhausted from that, what was it, five,  _six_  mile run?

"Thank you," Petra mumbled. She pulled a thermometer from the first aid kit and stuck it under the little girl's tongue. She whined slightly, but Petra rubbed her forehead with the wash cloth to calm her down.

"… Thank you, Petra." I said. I wasn't sure if she heard me or if she was just ignoring me, but she didn't respond. Instead, after a few moments she pulled the thermometer back and looked at it.

"She doesn't have a fever, but we need to watch over her…" She set the thermometer down on the coffee table beside her and sighed.

"So she'll be okay?" I asked. Petra stayed quiet, simply looking at the little girl as if I wasn't there. "… Petra?" I tried again.

With a bit of a snarl, Petra grabbed at my wrist and yanked me up to my feet. She pulled me out of the room and to the hallway, where she practically tossed me into the opposite wall. I turned to question her, only to have a good, hard smack delivered to my cheek instead.

Getting hit by a girl hadn't been a first for me. Having someone like  _Petra_  hit someone like  _me;_  definitely a first.

"You asshole!" Having her cuss at me wasn't all too appreciative either.

"Ouch, Petra! What the hell? What are you doing?"

"What am  _I_ doing? What are  _you_ doing?" She pushed at my shoulders, knocking me into the wall. "Where have you been? You suddenly drop out of school, you're gone for almost a year, and then you show up at my door with some child in your arms! Who the hell is she anyway?"

"I don't know who she is, but I-"

"What do you mean you don't know who she is?" Another shove to my shoulders. This time I was more braced for the impact, so I didn't get pushed into the wall, but for all of her tiny stature, like me, Petra could seriously cause some pain. "Where did she come from?"

"I don't know." I wish I had a better answer.

"Where did you find her?" Tears formed in those big, brown eyes of hers.

"I can't tell you that." I wish I could give her an answer at all.

"Why can't you tell me? Levi, where have you been? What have you been doing?" Tears fell past her eyelids, slipping down her cheeks and giving me a sense of guilt. "I've been so worried about you, and I had no idea where you were!"

Petra began smacking her fists into my shoulders. It didn't hurt as much as I was sure she was intending it to, but I rolled my eyes anyway. I grabbed at her wrists, holding her still while she cried some more.

"I was so worried…!" She sobbed.

"Petra…" I said in a soft tone. When she didn't look at me, I cupped her cheeks in my cold hands and lifted her head. "Hey, listen to me." That got some of her attention, at least enough for her to look at me. I sighed, running my thumbs across her cheeks to cut the path of tears on them. It didn't help much, but it was something.

"Hey, I'm okay. I promise you I'm okay, and I've been okay."

"So why can't you tell me where you've been?" She asked with a shudder.

"Because I'm trying to keep you safe," I saw the confusion go through her eyes. "I can't tell you; I want to, but I can't."

"It… It was something bad, wasn't it?" She questioned.

"Sort of… But I promise you that I'm okay."

"Is she from where you were?" Petra dropped her head down on my shoulder. It had been a while since I had felt such contact between a person. I think the closest touch I had gotten was whenever Kaney put his hand on my shoulder, but that was it. This was new, but it wasn't entirely uncomfortable.

"Kind of, but uhm… I can't really say."

"Where are her parents?"

"I don't know. Like I said, I found her. She hasn't said a word about them either." Petra lifted her head and looked down the hallway. The little girl hadn't moved from the couch, and I could scarcely see that her shivering had subsided. I sighed with relief, happy to know that she was already better.

It wasn't much, but I would help build something better for her.

"Do you know how old she is?" Petra asked in a quiet whisper.

"No… I don't even know her name." I admitted with a shrug. Petra sighed to, her breath warm against my neck. I hadn't realized how cold I was myself until I felt her against me, warm and inviting.

Maybe I had made a right decision once in my life.

"Oh, I wonder if she's hungry." Petra suddenly mumbled and left me to go feed the little girl. Oh well. It was one small price to pay if it meant keeping the little girl healthy. I would let it be for now. "Are you hungry too, Rivaille?" She asked.

There was a name I hadn't heard in a while.

"A little, but worry more about her." I said as I followed Petra into the kitchen.

"Alright then…" Petra mumbled as she pulled out a box of noodles. "I'll make extra, just in case."

"Thank you," I said with a small smile. Petra's eyes looked back to the little girl on the couch. I could barely see her now she was covered with so many blankets. She was like a dog that had only its head sticking out of a pile of garbage, and I would be the last person in the world to say it was cute, but it was.

"I don't know how well my clothes will fit her, but I guess it's better than nothing for now. I don't have anything that'll fit you though." Petra explained, as if apologizing for her lack of clothes that would fit me.

"Petra, I told you that I'm fine. Worry about her first. When she's healthy, we'll worry about me." I said with the tinniest of laughs. Petra blushed and laughed at herself, probably embarrassed by her words, but that was okay.

I hadn't been taken care of since my grandparents. Without them in my life, it was a rather lonely life to live. It was okay though. I wouldn't take Petra's kindness for granted, but I didn't mind some coddling. I wouldn't take advantage of it, because I was going to make sure that I paid her back for everything that happened and what could happen.

Of course, I knew that when the time came, I'd have to leave. I couldn't stay here for long, because Kaney and his goons would come looking for me. I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't let them get to Petra and this little girl.

I'd keep them safe. For now, however, I was safe as well.

This much I knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has the reading killed you? Are you still there? Oh boy...  
> P.S. This fanfic has been fully uploaded on FF.net. If you would like to read it all and finish it, it's there too. &&


	19. I Just Want to Protect You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He's back... The doctor from my other fics is back... AAAHHHH! I had to reduce his cocky sarcasticness though, because this is a serious fanfic where it's not welcomed.
> 
> Doctor- She took my sarcasm away.
> 
> Yes, now get out of here. No one likes you.  
> (P.S. Character death, mentions of child abuse and rape and lots of bad stuff. WARNING!)

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter: 19** **  
** **I Just Want to Protect You** ****  


* * *

I couldn't necessarily think straight at that point in time. All I could do was pace back and forth, my hands resting by my sides, pulling on my face, or yanking at my hair. I didn't necessarily care how hard I pulled, because I was so distracted with my thoughts that I couldn't care, but one particular pull was hard enough to tell myself to stop.

"Rivaille," Or maybe that was just Petra. "You're wearing a hole into the floor." She said uncharacteristically. I sighed, looking down at the floor I had been pacing on. I hadn't made a whole, but my boots had left a scuff mark on the wood.

"Sorry..." I muttered. In a stupid bout of sarcasm, I stepped to the side so I wouldn't pace in that one particular place again. Petra groaned.

"Rivaille, come sit down." She instructed.

"I don't want to."

"I don't care. Sit." When she sounded like she could kill with her voice alone, how could I go against her? I did as told, sitting down on the bench beside her and hiding my face in my hands.

"Sorry," I apologized again.

"I know how you're feeling. I'm anxious too, but we can't do anything but wait."

"I hate waiting." That wasn't me whining, was it?

"I know. It sucks being in this position, and it sucks even more having to wait, but we can't rush things." Petra's hand touched my back, a soft, kind, and gentle touch that was relaxing, but it wasn't enough. I was still panicked about the whole situation, and until it was over, my anxiety wouldn't go away. I let out a heavy sigh, attempting, trying to relax, but I just couldn't.

"I'm sorry," I said again.

"It's okay," Petra said with a small giggle. I lifted my head up a little, quietly looking at the closed door in front of me. I hated that closed door.

"Do you think she's okay?" I asked and looked at Petra. That small smile fell, and I felt my stomach turn when I saw the brightness in Petra's eyes slowly diminish to nothing.

"... I'm not really sure... I don't know about these situations, or how they work... She could be okay, or she could be very sick."

I had told Petra about how I found the little girl. Well, most of it. I left important details out, mainly stuff that could get her killed if someone were to ever find out about her. I told her that I found the little girl who was being sold through human trafficking. I told her how I got her out of there and ran. I didn't say anything else though.

She knew what could have happened to her though. She knew that this poor little girl could have been raped, could have been tortured, could have been sick, and that in itself was hard to stomach.

That's why we were here though, currently sitting in a doctor's office and waiting for the doctor to finish his with examination with the little girl. We had to know if she was sick, if she had any internal injuries, or, God forbid, if she was pregnant. Yes, even at a young age, sick pedophiles didn't care. I didn't think I could hold myself back from killing every last one of those sick mother fuckers if I heard any of this come from the doctor's mouth. I'd probably have to be tied down, because I would surely kill someone.

"Rivaille," Petra must have sensed my deafening blood lust. She pulled me close, forcing my head to fall onto her shoulder as she coddled me. I wasn't one for snuggling, but I knew I had to hold still. "It's going to be okay," She murmured in my ear.

"Don't say things you can't promise." I pleaded with her. Petra pulled me back, her eyes looking straight into mine. For a moment, just a small one, I really did believe that everything was going to be okay.

"She's going to be okay. We're going to take care of her." Petra said, making a full promise with her eyes.

Don't look at me like that. I don't deserve such kind words or affections. I definitely don't deserve any kind things, not after all I've done.

I sighed.

"That's better," Petra said with a smile. I found it kind of ironic in a way, one you'd see on television shows or movies, when the door to the doctor's room opened. It was like Petra had made that happen with her promise, like the stuff you'd see in movies. Ironic and utterly stupid.

It didn't matter much to me though at the time. When the doctor stepped out, I was on my feet in an instant, my anxiety back and my heart pounding in my chest.

Please let her be okay.

"How is she?" Petra asked for me, because I had somehow lost the ability to speak.

"She's okay. A little shaken up after  _that,_  but okay." The doctor said and fixed his glasses on his face.

"Is she sick?"

"No, and no, before you ask, she isn't pregnant either." He answered. I felt hundreds of pounds of pressure lift off of my shoulders, and for the first time in hours, I felt like I could really breathe again. Petra left out an audible sigh as well, but I was so relieved at this point, I was pretty sure I made one louder. "I did a full checkup. You must have found her in time, because she hasn't been touched." He added.

"How can you tell?" Petra asked.

"A kid her size would be obvious. There would be tearing, swelling, redness. It would be too obvious. For adults it's different, because they're sexually active, but children aren't like that." The doctor explained. "While I can't say someone didn't "touch her," I can say they never pushed any farther than  _that."_

That only led to one conclusion; they were just waiting for the right time. They were waiting for something, whether it was for her body to develop more or for her to be at the right age to have kids. It didn't matter.

What mattered now, however, was that she was okay. She hadn't been touched, hadn't been hurt, and I could relax with this news. I didn't have to kill anyone now. Well… I didn't have the "urge" to kill anyone right now.

"You said she was kidnapped, right? You must have been on a man hunt to find her." The doctor grimaced.

Yes, we had lied to the doctor. We gave the little girl a fake name and age, and we gave her my last name, because she still hadn't said her real name yet. We couldn't let the doctor know the truth, because, if he did, I'd be branded for life in jail. I'd done so many things, and I was old enough to understand my actions. I'd be tried as an adult, and I'd be stuck in jail for life.

How could I possibly take care of her when I was in jail? I wasn't going to abandon Petra and her like that.

"Yes, well, Rivaille more so than I." Petra said.

"Well, no need to do a rape kit. She's okay, if not a little shaken up by the whole ordeal. It's a good thing you brought her in though when you did. Had that been the case, we could have caught the bastard."

What "caught?" I would have just killed him.

"Well the police say they may know who it is. They have a warrant for his arrest." Petra explained. She wasn't half bad of an actor, but I'll admit that the story was a little hard to believe.

"That's good then, and that means she can sleep peacefully tonight. Anyway, she's asking for her brother, so you may want to get in there." The doctor said and motioned back into the room with his thumb.

"Brother?" Petra questioned.

"Yes," He said and looked at me. "What are you waiting for?" He asked me.

"Oh... Right," I mumbled and went into the room.

It didn't make sense. She hadn't said a word to us, but she talked to the doctor? That meant for one that she could talk. That also meant that she had lied, because she knew that we were lying to begin with. She talked, she lied, and she said that I was her brother?

That probably would tip anyone off. She looked nothing like me, not even with her short stature. It didn't matter. Even though we made her last name the same as mine, that was just to get her help. It seemed to work, but it was still news to me.

The little girl was sitting on the doctor's chair, wiggling around in it while it spun. I felt bad though, because the oversized clothes on her hung off of her hands and feet. We didn't have anything that would fit her, and barely any time to waste. We couldn't risk evidence disappearing the longer we waited. She didn't seem to care though, and she continued to wiggle in the chair like it was a toy.

Glad to see that it wasn't too mentally degrading of a situation she just experienced.

"Hey," I said, catching her attention. She looked up at me with her big, green eyes, her arms quickly lifting up for me. I reached down and picked her up, and she clung onto me like her life depended on it.

It did scare her. She tried hiding it, but there was still the subtle shiver in her body that she couldn't get rid of. There was that, and the longer I held her, the more she fell apart. I felt tears soak into my shirt, and I heard the tiny sniffles and sobs by my ear.

I felt like a monster for making her go through this.

"Shh, it's okay," I murmured and gentle rocked her in my arms. "I'm sorry, I really am. I know that must have been scary for you, and I'm sorry I made you deal with that, but it won't happen again." I pulled back, lifting her head slightly to look at her. I grimaced at the sight of tears and snot rolling down her face. "Hey, look at me." I said.

She did, lifting her head more to meet my eyes. She rubbed at her cheeks with the sleeves of my overly large shirt, but I stopped her and did that myself.

"I promise you that it won't happen again. I won't let anyone ever touch you again, okay?" I assured. The little girl nodded her head and dropped it back down onto my shoulder, and I cradled her close, still rocking back and forth to calm her down. I mumbled promises into her ear, mumbled soft sayings in an attempt to help her calm down. Petra eventually walked in to find us that way, because it had been ten minutes or so before she finally relaxed in my arms. By that point, it wasn't really relaxation, but exhaustion that made her quiet down.

That was okay. I didn't know how long it had been since she had gotten a decent amount of sleep, and I wasn't about to wake her. All I did was motion to Petra to keep her voice down while I continued to make promises.

"I won't let anything ever hurt you."

* * *

It had been about a week now since we found her. A week and still not a word came from her. I wasn't sure if it was because she didn't trust us, or if it was because she couldn't talk. No, scratch that idea. She had no problem talking to the doctor.

She must not have trusted us then.

"Well kid, after seven fucking baths in the past six days, I think I finally got all of that disgusting shit off of you." I said while rubbing a towel behind the little girl's ear. She practically purred with pleasure, probably because of how clean she was. That or she enjoyed having me rub a towel behind her ear. I sighed as I picked the little girl up, a towel carefully placed around her tiny body and one around her head. I lifted her up to look into the mirror in Petra's bathroom, and she seemed surprised by the figures she saw in the reflection.

"Yeah, look at that. This is called clean. Learn well, because I never want to see you that filthy ever again." I said. The girl still seemed surprised, even by the tinniest of things. She touched her skin, touched her hair, and even looked under the free edge of her nails. Not a speck of dirt.

I could say I was rather proud of myself.

"Alright, let's get dressed and go get something to eat." I said. The little girl nodded her head distractedly before I set her down and picked up the shirt on the sink counter. She lifted her arms, and I worked the large shirt over her hands while she struggled to find the holes for her arms to go through. I pulled at one and looked inside.

Her bright, green eyes looked up at me in the confines of the shirt, and I smiled lightly as she squealed with laughter. She poked her arm through the hole and searched for the other one while I helped get the shirt over her head. I sighed when she finally had it on, because the shirt was like a dress on her. This one was Petra's shirt, but still too large for her tiny body.

"We'll get you some proper fitting clothes soon, okay?" She nodded her head before taking my hand in hers and walking. She practically walked me out herself, but I had to pick her up when the shirt kept making her trip over her own two feet. "What do you want to eat?" I asked her.

I didn't know why I kept trying. No matter what someone asked her, or what someone said to her, she never said anything back. Could it have been that the doctor was lying to us? Because, for all that has happened, she hasn't let on one indication that she can talk. She understood us and could nod or shake her head; yes, that she could do, but she hadn't said a word.

"You're such a strange kid," I mumbled to myself. The little girl kicked her feet around by my sides as I walked us both into the living room.

"No, I know that." I looked over at Petra, who was currently on the phone with her dad. She had been talking to him for an hour now, and she had been doing this every day for three days.

Her father was a detective. He was also part of a missing persons unit, designed to help locate missing people. Petra had put in a word to her father and gave him a picture of the little girl to show him what she looked like. He said he'd do his best to find her, and it'd been three days since.

"No, no, I know that! I'm very aware of that, but she-" Petra had been in arguments too. I knew for a fact that she never got along with her father. Why I wasn't sure, but she said she didn't. I didn't feel like prying into her personal life either. "But she doesn't-"

Petra looked over to us as I set the little girl down. She waved at me, signaling for me to be quiet, and I did. I simply walked into the kitchen and looked for something small for the little girl to eat. I didn't want to spoil her dinner by giving her a big snack.

"No, dad, that's not right. That's the wrong person then." Petra said into the receiver. I'll admit that I was curious, and I secretly had my ears open, listening in on the conversation, but I acted like I didn't suspect a thing. "What about the parents then? ... How long ago was that?"

Petra walked into the kitchen and sat down in one of the bar stool chairs. She ran her fingers through the fringe of her hair, pushing her long hair away from her face.

"No, that can't be right then... I know, but... So what do we do if that is her?" I couldn't hide my curiosity any longer. I shut the cabinet door I had opened and walked over to the counter. "But..." She seemed so tired.

"Are you sure then? I mean one hundred percent sure?" She asked. I could hear her father's voice on the other line, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. "Yeah, if you could send that over, it would help... Yeah, thanks, dad... Bye," With that, she hung up the phone.

"Well...?" I asked while placing my hand on her shoulder. Petra dropped her head down into her hands, and I thought for a minute that she was about to cry.

"... Her name is Isabel Magnolia. She went missing five years ago when her parents sold her off for drug money. They were arrested, but she was never found." Petra explained with a shaky voice. "She was considered dead after a while..."

"Five years ago..." I mumbled and looked back into the living room where the girl was. I had left the television on for her, and she was currently watching a sitcom. She was laughing, but I was sure she didn't understand half of the jokes. "She's pretty short for five, but it could be worse..."

"Rivaille," Petra said and looked up at me. "... That little girl is ten years old."

"...  _Petra,_ " I leered.

"She went missing five years ago just after she turned five, just before going to kindergarten."

"Petra, that's not right. It's the wrong person then."

"That's what I said."

"He's wrong... That kid in there is the size of a toddler! There's no way she's ten years old!"

"My father said that it was her. There was no way it wasn't her. Her face matches up and the time frame is right-"

"He's wrong then!" I snapped at her. I instantly felt regret, because Petra flinched at my harsh tone. I sighed. "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay..." Petra mumbled.

"No, it's not okay. I shouldn't be biting your head off. You haven't done anything to deserve that." I said. When Petra didn't respond, I simply walked back into the living room. I stopped at the archway, my head leaning against the frame as I watched the little girl laugh and throw her arms around.

There was no way.

She was too small.

She couldn't talk.

There was  _no_  way.

"Isabel," I called out. The little girl lifted her head instantly and looked back at me.

_It was true._

* * *

"Do you want to hold my hand?" I could barely hear Petra's voice over my own suffering. Regardless, I found her hand and held onto it like it was my lifeline. It probably was.

I knew it would catch up to me. I just didn't know when. I had hoped that I'd never have to feel this, this withdrawal for those fucking drugs, but I knew I would. It finally caught up to me, and I was suffering the consequences of my actions.

"Just hold on, Rivaille." Her voice was soothing, like a piece of classical music that could put anyone to sleep, but it wasn't enough. My body was aching, my muscles tightening like I was having a seizure. It hurt. It hurt so fucking much.

I didn't need them. I didn't  _need_  them. I didn't want those drugs, despite the protests of my body.

"You can do this, just hold on. You don't need those things, I know you don't. Your body just craves them, but it's not you."

I know that she's right, but I can't help but disagree. I keep telling myself, "Just a little more. Just once more, and then I'll be clean for the rest of my life." I keep telling myself that. I also keep telling myself that, if I did that, I'd fall right back into those terrible habits I had gained, and I would never let them go.

I don't want to be like them. I don't want to be like my "parents."

The thought of that brought tears to my eyes, or maybe it was the pain. I wasn't too sure. I just knew I was crying.

I had something worth fighting for. I had something good for once in my life, and it wasn't just me thinking it was good, when in reality it was harmful for everyone. It really was good, and it was something to look forward to, something to really get me out of bed in the morning.

I had people worth protecting. I had them by my side. I didn't know for how long I would have them, because this would end eventually, but it was something to begin with. I just had to fight this. I had to take care of Petra and Isabel, and I had to be sane to do it. If I was fucked up on drugs, I'd be just as bad as my parents.

No, I'd be worse. I would be worse, because I knew that I had something worth loving, and I gave it away.

I wasn't going to do that.

"You're okay, Rivaille. You're going to get through this." Petra whispered by my ear. She barely touched my cheek, and I felt as if I had just been branded with a hot iron. I couldn't stop the scream that tore through my lungs, but I was barely able to cut it off by biting into the pillow below my head. I couldn't risk waking up Isabel.

Why did it hurt so much?

"Shh, it's okay." I wanted to tell her to stop touching me, but I couldn't. I knew that if I opened my mouth I'd scream again, and that wasn't fair to her. It wasn't her hurting me, I knew that, but it hurt so fucking bad, and I had no idea why.

Focus on something else. Focus on her eyes, her lips, or focus on her voice. Focus on anything other than this  _craving._

"You can do this…" I can do this. I know I can, but the pain was unbearable. I'd rather be dead than suffer this, and I feel bad for every other person who's had to deal with it. I take back anything I ever said about drugs and their withdrawals. "It's okay. It's going to be okay."

I opened my eyes, trying to look at Petra through the blurry haze that was my vision. She smiled a weak smile to me, comforting and relaxing, before looking away, her smile fading.

"Isabel," I could barely make out her name on Petra's lips. "Go back to bed, sweetie."

There was a sudden dip in the bed, pressure added on to my pain. I shut my eyes tightly as I groaned, trying to keep quiet so I didn't worry Isabel, but it was too much. I couldn't possibly keep quiet, not like this at least.

"Isabel, it's okay. He's just not feeling too well, that's all." I opened my eyes to find Isabel a few inches in front of my face. She looked so worried. Worried for me? That couldn't have been right. It should have been the other way around.

"Isabel…?"

I felt a tiny, cold hand press into my forehead. It burned for no reason, but there was the same soothing feeling to Isabel's touch as there was Petra's. Was I seeing this wrong? What was Isabel doing and why for me?

"Isabel, want me to help you to bed?" Petra asked, touching Isabel's shoulder. The words fell on deaf ears to Isabel, who wouldn't leave my side. I lifted my hand from the blankets covering me and grabbed at Isabel's hand. I hadn't realized until now that I was completely covered in a cold sweat, my hands clammy and disgusting. She didn't seem to mind, but I was completely grossed out by it. I would need one long ass shower after this.

I wouldn't care for that for too long. Instead, I pulled on Isabel's hand, yanking her down to lay beside me. She fell without complaint, her head falling into the crook where my shoulder and neck met. I distantly thought that this was wrong, because I was only putting more worry to her, but I couldn't let go.

No, that was a lie.

I  _didn't_  want to let go.

"Oh boy," Petra sighed beside us, but she seemed rather happy with it. She had a smile that suggested that it was amusing to her, and she shook her head like she couldn't believe it was happening. Despite how she seemed or looked (which could have been warped in my blurry vision), Petra grabbed the blanket laying at the edge of the bed and draped it over both of us. It was more heat for me, but I didn't want Isabel catching a cold, and I didn't want her pressed against my body when I was covered in a gross layer of sweat.

This was fine. I told myself that, because I'd rather have this than nothing at all.

* * *

"Rivaille, stop!" Petra grabbed at my arm and yanked me back. My jacket slipped from my grasp, but merely landed on the floor like a feather. "Please don't do this!"

"You don't understand, Petra." I said, trying to sound more determined than I actually felt. How I actually felt was a really long list of words that would keep me here forever, something Petra would probably want, but I couldn't wait forever.

I couldn't stay here anymore.

"Then tell me! Please, Rivaille, just… Why are you leaving?" Her grasp tightened around my wrist painfully, and the pain in her voice was deafening. She probably didn't see how much this was actually killing me right now, how much guilt I felt for doing this, but I had my reasons.

"I told you, they-" I stopped. I couldn't let her know too much. "If I don't go back…  _Someone_ will come looking for me. If they found me here, and  _they_  saw you and her… Fuck, Petra, I can't put you and Isabel in that kind of risk."

I couldn't let Kaney find them. I had to leave, because it had been a month and a half by now. Kaney must have been going nuts trying to find me. After all, I was his best, and I knew that losing someone, whether average or not, within the group was a dangerous thing. How would it be if his best left his side?

I didn't know Kaney well. Despite his abilities to kill silently or make someone suffer beforehand, he was a mystery to me. I didn't know what he liked and didn't like, so how could I know if he liked this or not? How could I know if he would harm Isabel and Petra?

No, I wouldn't risk it. I wouldn't let them get hurt for me. I had to protect them.

If only protecting what I loved didn't mean leaving it behind.

"I don't care," Petra said sternly, like she was trying to stand her ground. "We'll make it through this, you just-"

"I can't run the risk of them getting to you. They're dangerous, Petra. If it means getting to me, they'll kill you and Isabel without even flinching." I growled. I pulled my hand away from hers. She was cutting off the blood flow to my hand.

"They won't find us!"

"Bull shit!" I barked. "Petra, I don't want to do this! I don't want to leave this behind, but I have to keep you and Isabel safe, and if leaving you guys behind means you'll live out your lives  _alive,_  then…" I stepped back and picked up my jacket.

"Please,  _please_ don't leave us!"

I felt like a monster. I felt like I deserved the worst flames of hell. No, I deserved a lot more than that.

I was leaving behind a sixteen year old girl and a ten year old without absolutely anything for them to live off of. I knew Petra had a job, but she also had school. Leaving her behind meant she'd have to take care of Isabel all by herself. While I was there, I always took care of Isabel. I fed her, cleaned her, and helped her to sleep, but I had no job or school to worry about. It was just me and her.

Leaving them behind also meant taking all of that away from them.

I really was a monster.

"Rivaille!" Petra grabbed my arm again, but I pulled away.

"Please Petra, just stop. I have to do this…" The pain in my chest made me want to vomit. I was so sick of myself, so sick and disgusted. Was I worse than my parents? While they did all that they did to me, they never left me behind, not even once.

_Someone please tell me I'm making the right decision._

"Please don't go," Petra fell into a hysterical fit of crying, her eyes red and swollen as she cried into her hands. I had to hold myself back. I couldn't console her. I had to do this, and I had to do it now. The longer I stayed, the harder it would be to leave.

Go.  _Move_. Move your Goddamn legs and leave.

I needed to keep them safe. I had to go before Kaney or one of his goons found me. If I didn't and they got to me… If I didn't, and they got to  _them_ …

I couldn't let it happen.

"I'm sorry," I said, barely suppressing my choked up pain.

Go before it was too late.

"Please don't go…" Petra's sobbing masked more of her voice, all but that one sentence. I couldn't listen to her cry. I turned, grabbed at the door knob to the front door, but I froze. Part of it was my fear. The other was the cling on hanging from my leg.

"Isabel," I looked down at the little girl hanging off of my leg. She was sitting on my foot, her tiny legs and arms wrapped around me like her life was dangling off of a cliff. "Isabel, let go." I instructed and shook my leg. Her grip around me tightened considerably.

I looked up to Petra, hoping she'd help get the girl off of me, but she was in too much pain to do it. Seeing Isabel hold onto me only seemed to make her crying worse, and she turned to look away.

I couldn't ask this of her, not after all that I was doing to them.

"Isabel, I need to go." I grabbed Isabel from under her arms and lifted her up. I thought that did the trick, but Isabel wrapped her arms around my neck and held tight. "Isabel-!"

"Don't go, Levi…"

The small, tiny voice next to my ear made it seem like all of the time in the world had suddenly stopped. I thought that it had just been me, and that I was hearing things, but seeing Petra react to it proved that this wasn't the case. I pulled Isabel back forcibly to see her crying, tears dripping down her round cheeks and staining the new shirt we had just gotten for her. She was just as bad, if not a little worse than Petra, but Petra was too shocked to really do anything at this point. I wouldn't blame her either.

"… What did you say?" I asked hesitantly.

"Don't go, don't go, Levi! Don't go!" Isabel cried and dropped her head back onto my chest. She wasn't just repeating what she heard Petra say, right? No, that couldn't be it. Petra never heard that name for me before, but Isabel had. She heard it the day I found her, but I just thought that she had never picked it up.

Apparently I was wrong.

"I don't want you to go!" She screeched. I placed a shaking hand on the back of her head, my eyes barely blinking away tears that I felt burning my eyes and threatening to fall. It hurt. It hurt even more than before.

I knew I was leaving behind something great. What I had was something I always wished for in my life, but I had to keep them safe.

How could I leave though when I finally heard her speak?

I looked back to Petra, and the words coming from Isabel sparked another fit of crying. This time, she didn't bother standing around. She pulled Isabel and me into her arms and hugged us both tightly. It was such a tight grip that I thought that she was going to break Isabel's spine, but the little girl seemed perfectly content to some standards beyond crying her eyes out on me.

"Please don't go…" Petra sobbed by my other ear. I wrapped a free arm around her, holding her close.

"I just want to keep you safe…" I admitted pitifully against her ear.

"I know, I know, but… We can work through this. We'll deal with what's thrown at us, so… Don't go…" Petra whispered. I found her voice relaxing, even with the raspy tone it held. Her voice wouldn't be the same for a few days after that crying spell.

"Don't go, Levi, don't go…" Isabel whimpered.

"Alright, alright…" I pressed a kiss to Isabel's head. "I won't go… I'm staying right here." Petra sighed with relief, her body visibly shuddering along with it. Isabel made a sound akin to cheering by my ear, but it was followed by a terribly hacking sound. No doubt she had just gotten snot and tears on my shoulder, but I couldn't bring myself to care right now.

"I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

He was going to ruin  _everything._

"You need to shut the hell up for five Goddamn minutes." I hissed over my shoulder. The white haired teen standing behind me closed his mouth, watching insistently as I tucked the blankets over Isabel's body. "Are you comfortable?" I asked.

"Yeah," Isabel said with a tiny yawn. I smiled softly at the way her nose scrunched up slightly. "Would you read me a bed time story, big brother?" She asked sleepily.

"I can't tonight, but I will tomorrow." I said. The tiny child whined, but I shot her a glare that told her to stop. "I can sit here with you though until you fall asleep. Is that okay?" I asked.

"I guess…" She mumbled quietly. It wouldn't take her long to fall asleep. Her eyes were already drooping, her body relaxing under my fingers. I ran my fingers through her bangs for just a minute, and she was out like a light in half of that time.

"Good night, Isabel…" I whispered and kissed her forehead. She didn't even flinch in her sleep, meaning she was already in a deep state of dreaming.

"Uhm…" Farlan said in a hushed tone.

Isabel was deep asleep. Good. I didn't want her hearing me when I blew up.

"Shush," I whispered and made sure that the blankets were securely tucked around Isabel. When I was satisfied with the, I turn off the lamp beside her bed and stood. I turned to look at Farlan, and I glared at him, a glare that told him that he was in for one hell of a ride.

And I was right.

I grabbed at his ear, but for fear of waking Isabel up, he kept quiet. I quite literally dragged him out of the room that way, yanking his ear and some of his hair to keep him close. I quietly shut Isabel's door, and then I continued to pull Farlan with me until we were far away from her room.

"Rivaille…?" Petra's voice was from the bathroom, where she stepped out with a newly bandaged arm. I had hoped she wouldn't have to see this, but I couldn't just let this go. I had to make sure I got my point across loud and clear.

"Alright," I growled. I grabbed Farlan fully by the collar of his shirt and shoved him hard against a wall. His head unfortunately made a dent in the wall. I couldn't be too upset by that at this point in time.

"Rivaille!" Petra cried out and grabbed at my arms.

"You think I'm playing around, motherfucker?" I barked while Petra tried pulling me back.

"Stop, Rivaille!"

"I'm not kidding here! If you don't get out of here in the next five seconds, I'll kill you myself! I'll make sure your fucking deadweight body is never found!"

"Stop it! Stop it right now!" Petra pulled me back a few feet and then stood in front of me, keeping distance between Farlan and I. I guess that's a good thing.

"Get the hell out!" I demanded.

"I-I'm sorry-!" Farlan stuttered with fear while holding the back of his head.

"Then go!"

"But-!"

"Don't you get it, dipshit?" I asked, trying to step closer, but Petra wouldn't let me budge and inch. "This is  _my_  family! This is  _my_  home, and if you fuck this up for me, I'll make you suffer! I'm not going back, and I'm done with Kaney! You can give him that message and tell him to leave me the fuck alone!"

"I'm not here for Kaney!" Farlan dared to yell at me. The bastard. "I told you I'm here for me!"

"For how long? Then you'll just go and tell Kaney where we are!"

"I would never do that, especially to a little girl!"

"I'm not risking their lives!"

"Enough!" Petra yelled over us. "That is enough!"

"Petra-!"

"No, Rivaille!" I stepped back when she snapped at me. "I told you that this was enough. If you two keep yelling like this, you're going to upset Isabel, so you need to keep quiet." She looked from me to Farlan, and then back at me.

"Petra, you don't get it." I said, hoping to convince her. "Farlan, he-"

"I understand enough, Levi." Petra had been getting into the habit of using that name. Even if it wasn't my real name, she'd heard Isabel say it enough to take it up. It was cute coming from Isabel, but it was annoying as all hell coming from Petra.

"You really don't," I tried to convince her.

"My father is a detective, Levi. He's been through all of these kinds of situations before multiple times." She said.

"You don't know the situation at all!"

"I know enough." Petra turned around to look at Farlan, her eyes practically glaring daggers at him. "Listen, Rivaille doesn't trust you, but I'm going to give you a chance." Her words caught me off guard.

"Petra-"

"Hold on," Farlan had looked relieved for a moment, but that was until Petra pointed a finger at him. "I don't care who this Kaney guy is. I don't care what you've done, what you've been through, or what you will do,  _but_  if you do anything to hurt that little girl, if _anything_  happens to her, you won't have Rivaille to worry about. I'll kill you myself."

Wow, go Petra.

* * *

"Levi, Levi, wake up!" I was pulled out of my sleep by my shoulder suddenly being yanked back and forth. I opened my tired and heavy-lidded eyes to see Farlan mere inches from my face.

"Goddamn it, what the fuck do you want?" I asked and pulled my blankets and pillows over my head.

"It's Isabel! I can't wake her up again!" He said in a panic.

Damn it. Not again.

I forced myself out of bed as fast as I could, my limbs rejecting the sudden motion. There was a moment of darkness that surrounded my vision, but I ignored that as I made my way to Isabel's bedroom. Farlan followed close behind, clueless as to what to do.

I walked in to find her on the floor, her hands covering her head and tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked like a mess, but when she was in this bad of shape, how could one not look like this?

"Shit," I cursed. I slowly approached her, and stayed quiet as I kneeled down in front of her. "Isabel," I said softly.

Nothing. She couldn't hear me. I barely touched her knee, and I was rewarded with a terrible cry of fear. I covered her mouth, afraid that the neighbors would hear her and call the police  _again_. This only provoked more panic from her, but I pulled her into my arms and held her close.

"Shush, Isabel, it's just me. It's okay. You're okay." I whispered softly into her ear. She screamed into my palm, her nails raking down my arms, and I had to bite on my lip to keep myself from yelling at her.

She didn't mean it. How could she when she wasn't even awake?

"Come on, Isabel. Wake up." I said in a hushed tone by her ear. She struggled in my arms, but as minutes passed, her struggling slowly subsided. After another few minutes, I felt it was safe to move my hand. I did, and all that came out of her was a quiet sigh.

"Is she okay?" Farlan asked behind me.

"Yeah, she's okay." I said while looking at her. Isabel had gone completely limp in my arms, but her eyes were barely open, dazed and confused. I touched her cheek, barely a touch really, and she lifted her head slightly to see who it was holding her.

"Levi…?" She mumbled.

"You awake?" I asked, smiling slightly at the small twitch she had in her eyebrows.

"Yeah…" She tilted her head to the side to see Farlan standing by, and then looked down at the floor under her. "What am I doing on the floor?" She asked, disoriented.

"You had another night terror." I explained. She seemed to understand, her mouth forming a small "o" shape before she tried sitting up in my arms. I helped her, keeping my hand on the small of her back to keep her balanced. "You don't remember anything, do you?" I asked.

It wasn't the best of questions. In fact, it was rather stupid. Anyone who had night terrors never remembered anything once they woke up, and I knew that. Isabel was no exception, but I always hoped for something.

I had asked a doctor about this. She had been having them for a while now, and Isabel had just turned fourteen years old. The doctor said so herself that Isabel should have stopped having them a long time ago, but she continued. The doctor then grilled me about Isabel's life at home: Was she eating right? Was she sleeping okay? Was there anything that could have put her under serious stress or pressure?

Of course all of the answers were positive. Isabel ate like a pig, she slept through fire alarms, and the only time she ever got stressed was when I was giving her a math test, but those were periodic and rare. There was nothing else that could have put her under any sort of stress.

That's why I always thought that she may have been lying to me about her night terrors. I knew that people didn't remember anything about them, but there had to be something scaring her. I thought that maybe she was having nightmares on top of the night terrors. Nightmares you can remember, and Isabel didn't have what one would call a "perfect childhood." In fact, her childhood didn't start until I found her at the age of ten. While she made it seem like she didn't remember anything from her past, I could never be sure.

Of course she never told me. Isabel was terrible at lying, so it was obvious to catch her in one, but if she blatantly didn't say anything, I couldn't possibly tell. That's what she did with nightmares. However, after a really bad one, Isabel would crawl into bed with me and hold onto me. I never pushed her away, but they had been happening quite often lately. This was her third night terror this month, and she'd already had seven nightmares in two weeks.

Night terrors were supposed to be rare to begin with. A total of three to six percent of children got them, making her rare, and having them so frequently, more frequent than the doctor had ever heard of before, made her a scientific novel. It was a pain in the ass trying to keep this under wraps, though Isabel didn't care. She just wanted a decent night of sleep, which she hadn't gotten for a while now.

Obviously something was wrong.

"No… No, I don't remember anything." Isabel mumbled. I looked up to Farlan, who looked like he had seen a ghost.

"Farlan, you can go back to bed. I've got her from here." I said. Farlan hesitated, but he did. "And thanks," I added before he left the room. Farlan looked back at me and smiled, nodded his head, and then left to go to bed. I sighed and looked back to Isabel, who had simply sat still, digging her nails into the hem of her pajama shirt. I could already see the stitching coming loose.

"You're going to rip your shirt," I pointed out.

"Wouldn't be the first…" She grumbled to herself. I frowned and patted her knee.

"Right," I said and stood up. "Well come on. Let's get to bed." Isabel nodded her head and stood up, but her legs shook helplessly, and she had no choice but to hold onto me. I wrapped my arm around her waist again, keeping her still while she got used to standing again.

"I'm sorry…" She mumbled.

"It's fine, Isabel."

"It's not fine," She practically growled, obviously lying and upset. I rolled my eyes in annoyance before letting her go. She was fine walking on her own. Instead, I walked to her bed. "Wait, what are you doing?"

"I'll sleep here for tonight." I said.

"Wait-" She began, but I was already pulling back the covers. She whined in her throat, and I didn't know why until I barely saw it before sitting down. I almost didn't catch it with the darkness around us, but I just caught a glimpse of the dark stain in her bed. I looked back at her to see her covering her face with one hand and pulling down her shirt to cover her shorts with the other, and then I looked back down at the stain.

_Oh…_

I sighed.

"I'm sorry…" She whimpered.

"It's okay… Go wash up and change, and I'll put these in the laundry." I said. Isabel moved to her closet to get a fresh set of clothes, and then left the room. I pulled her sheets off of the bed and balled them up before taking them to the washer. Hopefully there wouldn't be a stain; of course I was so tired that I nearly didn't care.

By the time I got things into the washer and washed my own hands in the kitchen sink, Isabel was back with a fresh set of pajamas on.

"Did you put your clothes in the washer?" I asked. Isabel wordlessly nodded her head. "Alright, let's go back to bed." I said.

"Where should I sleep?" She asked quietly.

"You can sleep in bed with me." I suggested. Well, it wasn't really a suggestion. More like a carefully worded demand.

"I think I should sleep on the couch instead." She mumbled while looking at her feet. I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes again before wrapping my arms around Isabel's waist and picking her up. I tossed her over my shoulder, eliciting a surprised, but held back screech of surprise while I made my way back to my room. Damn, she must have gained twenty more pounds since the last time I did this.

Despite the jokes I made about her constantly gaining weight, it was fine. She was a kid that still had  _a lot_  of growing to do.

Besides, I noticed lately that, despite how much she ate, she actually felt  _lighter._  This must have been the stress of the dreams and night terrors, or whatever it was plaguing her mind that she didn't want to tell me.

"P-Put me down, Levi!" She yipped, but quietly so she didn't wake up Farlan. I did put her down, but only when we were in my room. She dropped onto my messy bed (Messy because Farlan woke me up so suddenly) with a grunt, and I smiled at the way she whined at me. "Not fair Levi," She whimpered, but she was already crawling under the blankets.

My bed made with a pretty expensive mattress, because it had been an insane gift from Hanji two years ago. I had no idea what she was thinking, but who was I to return a gift?

"Just lie down and go to sleep, brat." I said and dropped down next to her. Isabel turned to lie on her side, her back facing me and her front facing the wall. She normally didn't do this. After a nightmare, Isabel would jump at the chance to cuddle with me. If she wasn't now, something was wrong.

"Goodnight," I sighed and wrapped an arm around her waist. I felt her suddenly coil, as if trying to scoot away from me in the bed. "Isabel," I mumbled as I breathed in.

"Hm…?"

"When was the last time you took a fucking bath?" I asked and sat up. I saw the lines in her cheek form, an obvious attempt at her trying to hide a smile. "I mean seriously, what the fuck crawled into your hair and died?"

"Stop it, Levi," She scoffed and hid her face under the blankets.

"Did you bath with Farlan's styling gel? That stuff smells like rotten eggs."

"Levi-"

"Smells like one of those characters from your favorite video game splattered on the ground and decomposed in that mess of hair."

"Big brother!" She whined under the blanket. I pulled the covers back to see her giggling, but she wasn't trying to hide it anymore. I smiled softly and poked at the dimple in her cheek.

"That's much better," I stated.

"That's not fair, Levi." She whined and slapped my hand away.

"I have to resort to mental abuse when you're acting like a little idget." I started pulling my fingers through her tangled bangs, which did well to make her whine some more.

"Shut up…" She pouted, her cheeks puffing out in that cute way only she seemed to pull off. I set my chin down in my palm, watching her and waiting for her to fall asleep. While she was tired, while her eyes drooped in that way they did when she was about to fall asleep, she seemed to be forcing herself to stay away. "Stop it…" She mumbled.

"Why…? Aren't you tired?" I asked.

"Yes…"

"So go to sleep…" I instructed. Even with the threatening tone I used, she was still trying to stay awake. "Isabel, what are you thinking about?"

"I'm not thinking about anything."

"That's not true. If you weren't thinking about anything, you'd be out cold." I stated. Isabel pouted again before I continued. "So I know you're thinking about something. Come on, Isabel. You can tell me if something is wrong."

"I can't…" She mumbled.

"You always have before. What's different now?" I asked.

"… Levi, do I act like a kid?" She asked me.

"Yes," I didn't even need to think for that answer.

"Really?"

"You seem upset by that."

"I am," Isabel turned back on her side and hid from me, but I just leaned over so I could see her face.

"Why…?" I asked. "There's nothing wrong with being a kid."

"Some boys were making fun of me." She explained. "They said I acted like a kid, and that I cling to you when I should be acting like an adult."

"What? What idiots said that?"

"I don't know them personally. I see them walking to school every day, and a few weeks ago they were laughing at me while I was outside playing."

"Is that what's been upsetting you for the past month?" I asked incredulously. Isabel shifted before nodding her head.

I felt like I could have slapped myself in the face for this. I forgot about how sensitive Isabel really was. Of course it was something as simple as this. She was home-schooled, and she hadn't had much interaction with people outside of Farlan, Petra, and I. She didn't understand people, so of course what those stupid boys said would get to her.

"Listen, Isabel," I said and forced her on her back by pulling on her shoulder. She stared up at me, wide eyed and surprised as I continued. "Those shit-faced assholes are bored with their own, miserable lives, and their looking for a target to make themselves feel better. You're innocent and young, so of course they went after you. You're a girl who knows how to take care of herself, and you know that you're smart and strong. You're like that,  _different_ , and they don't like different."

"They don't like me?" She asked.

"No, they're afraid of you." I answered.

"Why are they afraid of me?"

"Because you're the type of person who can make everything in their lives turn upside down. You are unique, and they're afraid of things they aren't used to. You see on television these days, all of the new things in the world. How afraid are people when they see that stuff?"

"Kind of afraid…" She muttered.

"They're terrified, and they'll do anything so they can keep things in their terms of safe."

"But I wouldn't hurt anyone."

"They don't know that. You and I know that, Farlan and Petra know it, but, because they don't know you, they can't be too sure. That's why they're making fun of you. They're trying to put you down, to break your spirit so you'll be just like them, but you don't want to be just like them. You want to be you."

"You need to remember something too, Isabel. They don't  _know_  you." I didn't want to bring it up, because I was afraid that it would cause memories to surface, memories that would be painful for Isabel. I had to get my point across though, and I needed to do it now. "They don't know that ten years of your life never happened. They don't know that you only got to be a kid when you were ten years old."

"When you found me," Yeah, that much she remembered.

"Exactly. Isabel, in four years, you've had a  _lot_ of growing up to do, and a lot of it isn't fair. You never got to be a kid, and now's your chance. However, you're turning into a teenager, a very confusing time in a person's life. Your body isn't a kid's body, but your mind is. You're stuck between being a kid and being a teenager, and that's not fair for someone like you."

"I never got to be a kid…" Isabel muttered to herself.

"Right, and there's nothing wrong with being one now. You're going to have to grow up and be a boring ass, responsible adult like me someday, but until then, be a kid. Enjoy what you have while it's there, because life goes by too fast not to do that." Isn't that the truth? Just yesterday she was eleven years old and drawing pictures on the walls.

"And you can still be my big brother?" She asked me, her eyes getting wider and more puppy-like. That wasn't fair at all.

"Isabel, whoever said I would stop? I will always be your big brother, and you can cling to me whenever you want. If those boys' start causing trouble again, you just let me know. Your big brother will take care of them, and they won't be walking to school this way anymore."

"Really?" Isabel perked up instantly, her smile back and her eyes glassy with happy tears. At least I hoped they were happy tears.

"Of course," I said and pushed her bangs from her face again. "Now go to sleep, brat." My head wasn't even on the pillow before Isabel wrapped her arms around me and snuggled into my chest. I grunted when her thick skull knocked the air out of me, but I didn't complain about the position afterwards.

It was nice to have her back in my arms. I may never admit that out loud, but I really was happy that she was okay.

Maybe now the nightmares and night terrors would go away.

"Hey… Levi…?" Isabel mumbled into my shirt.

"Yeah…?"

"You'll never leave me behind, right?" She lifted her head slightly, her chin falling to rest on my shoulder.

"No, of course not," I said and lightly scratched my fingers down her back. I was trying to coax her into sleep, and maybe this time she'd sleep soundly for a night.

"Mhh…" Isabel made a muffled sound, her hands curling into fists by her mouth. I smiled at her, glad it was dark so she couldn't see it, and fully dropped my head down onto my pillow.

"Goodnight, Isabel…" I let out a sigh, rather loud in my quiet room, as I tried drifting off to sleep myself.

"... I love you, Levi…" Isabel's voice was so quiet and tiny, barely noticeable had it not been for her face right next to mine. I shifted back some to look at her, but Isabel was already out cold, per the usual. Glad to see that her sleeping habits were back.

"Yeah…" I sighed and kissed her forehead. "I love you too, Isabel."

* * *

"Isabel! Fuck, Isabel, stay awake!" I pulled Isabel's limp body into my lap, her head hanging off of the edge of my arm with blood dripping out of her open wound. I didn't care for my ruined shirt; fuck the shirt. Isabel was bleeding out, and no matter how much pressure I put on the wound, it wouldn't stop.

I couldn't do anything. I couldn't help her. All I could do was sit here and wait for help to arrive.

"Keep your eyes open, do you hear me?" I commanded. "Isabel, keep them on me. Look at me, okay?"

"Le…" Her voice was raspy and quiet, barely any air leaving her pale lips.

"Shh, don't talk. Just look at me, alright?" I said and adjusted my hold so her head was tilted up more. "No, actually, talk to me. Keep talking. You need to stay awake." I felt around on her neck for her pulse, hoping to keep track of its pace.

It was so slow.

"'M sleepy…" She mumbled.

"No, no, I know you're tired, but you need to stay awake. Keep talking, okay? Talk about today. Wasn't today fun?" It wasn't enough. She was losing too much blood too fast, and I couldn't stop it. She couldn't even keep her eyes open for more than two seconds.

"Today was fun, right? Didn't you like riding all of those roller coasters? Wasn't it funny hearing me scream like an idiot?" It didn't work. I tried, but she wasn't even capable of processing what I was saying. I laid Isabel down on the ground, but I kept her head elevated enough in hopes of reducing the bleeding. She wasn't even able to protest in pain when I put pressure to the gash.

"Isabel please… We can go back again, and I'll go on those stupid fucking rides with you next time, just… Fuck, don't do this…" I fell against her, my head resting lightly against her neck. This close, I could hear the sounds of her struggled breathing, and I could hear it dwindling. "I'm sorry… I'm so fucking sorry…"

I broke my promise. I was supposed to keep her safe, to make sure that she never got hurt again, and I broke it.

I fucked up, and as I heard her weak heartbeat fade into nothing, I knew that I could never apologize to her for this.

"I'm sorry…" I knew she couldn't hear me, but I couldn't stop the words from tumbling out of my mouth. It was like I was on autopilot. Even as I fell beside her, too weak from blood loss and pain, the words left me. Behind those words, I could hear Farlan.

I needed to help him. He was coughing and sputtering, his air supply depleting, but I couldn't move. I was too weak.

I couldn't save him.

* * *

I opened my eyes to find everything around me blurry. It wasn't dark; in fact, it was just the opposite of that. It was bright as hell and I could barely keep my eyes open without the pain of the light blinding me, but everything was still blurry. I felt like I was six hundred pounds heavier. There was a pressure on my chest, a heavy feeling that made it hard to breathe. I wanted to move my arms in an attempt to lighten the weight, but they felt like lead weights too.

"Rivaille…?" My name was barely whispered, but it sounded like someone blew an air horn in my ear. "Come on, Rivaille, wake up now. You can do it."

"T-Too bright…" Shit, was that my voice? I sounded like I had been run over by a giant truck.

"Sorry, but we can't turn off the lights." I forced my eyes open at that answer. It was still too bright, but I could see a man standing in front of me, wearing a lab coat with a clip board in his hands. "There you go. You're doing well." He praised.

"Where… Am I?" I asked with that shitty voice.

"How much do remember?" The man asked. I shook my head. My throat hurt too much to speak right now. "You're in a hospital right now. You were in a car accident, and you sustained some pretty nasty injuries."

I looked around the room. Indeed, I was in a hospital room, and I was guessing that the man was the doctor that had been taking care of me. I looked around some more, and the pressure on my chest ached. I looked down to find the cause of the problem, only to see a mop of orange hair belonging to someone whose head was resting on my chest.

"Petra…" She was sleeping on one of my arms, explaining why I couldn't move it, but I could move my other arm. I did and brushed my fingers against her warm cheek.

"She's been here since you were brought in. She hasn't left, not even to go home and sleep." The doctor said with a soft smile. I didn't pay attention to him. I was too focused on Petra's sleeping face. I didn't realize that I had worried her so much.

"Petra…" I said again, trying to get my voice louder than a whisper. I put more pressure into my touch, but it wasn't much. Even in my pathetic state, I could feel how week I was. However, it was enough. Petra stirred against my chest, her brown eyes opening slightly. She seemed confused for a few moments, but when she looked up at me, all thoughts and memories seemed to register into her mind.

"Levi!" She jumped up so suddenly, as if she hadn't been sleeping for God knows how long, and practically fell on me. I couldn't breathe with half of her body weight against my chest now, and her arms were brutally tight around my neck. "Oh my God, Levi…" She cried.

Tears fell against my neck, and I did my best to console her. I barely got my arms to touch her hips before strength seemed to leave me, and I couldn't hold my arms up any longer.

The doctor left the room after a few moments, giving us our privacy. It saved us the awkward moment of talking like love struck teenagers while he stared and watched.

"Oh Levi…" Petra sobbed against me.

"Petra," I sighed and nudged my head against hers. That was all I could do in this position with this little of strength.

"I'm so glad you're awake! I thought you'd never wake up!" She confided.

"How long was I out?" I asked warily.

"You've been out cold for two days. You just kept going in and out of consciousness. Damn it, Levi, you scared me…" I forced myself to find the energy so I could hug her, and I did. It wasn't much, but it was something better than nothing. At least I could console her.

"Two days…" I repeated.

"I thought I'd lost you too…" She whispered. "I can't lose you…"

"I'm not that easy to kill. Trust me." I tried to tease her, but she wasn't all too appreciative of it. She simply kept her head down, quietly crying against my shirt. I didn't want to dwell on it anymore, and instead I looked around the room, looking for Isabel and Farlan.

Why weren't they here? If I was in a car accident, surely Isabel would be bawling just a much, if not more than Petra. Even Farlan would have felt some happiness to know that I was awake. So where were they?

I looked down at Petra, ready to question her myself. I wanted to ask her where they were, but it was like I had been hit with a brick.

Isabel was dead… Wasn't she?

"Petra…" I began.

"Yes…?

"… Where is Isabel?"

I knew it was stupid. I knew the answer already, but there was part of me, some childish part from when I was a kid, that  _hoped_  for a miracle.

"Oh… Oh Levi…" Petra sat up, wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her blouse. "Levi… Isabel, she-"

"Don't." I stopped her. "D-Don't… Don't say it."

"Levi, I'm sorry-"

"Stop it," I covered my ears with my hands, another childish act that I didn't know how I pulled off considering I didn't have much strength.

"I'm so sorry, Levi. I'm so sorry." She grabbed at my hands and held onto them.

"F-Farlan…? What about him?" I asked.

"He's in the ICU right now. He's still in really bad condition." She answered.

Fuck, why? Why couldn't I help him? Why did I just leave him there? I could have killed him. I might still.

"Levi…" Petra gently touched my forehead, and I felt the sting from the wound I vaguely remember getting in that car accident. "The doctors said that you lost a lot of blood, but… I mean, you're okay now, and that's all that matters."

"I shouldn't be…" I hissed under my breath.

"Levi-…" Petra started, but there was a knock on the door to the hospital room. A petite nurse walked in, though not as short as Petra and I. She looked rather sullen, and when she looked up to us, more so me than Petra, her frown deepened.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd be awake." She said.

"No, it's fine. Come in," Petra assured. The nurse barely budged an inch from the door.

"I'm sorry, but… I'm afraid that your friend, Farlan Church…"

Everything went quiet.

I didn't really hear anything. I hadn't blacked out; at least I don't think I did. I saw the nurse continue to talk, and I saw Petra begin crying again. She covered her face with her hands and fell back to me, hiding her face in my shoulder.

I barely felt a thing.

* * *

There was a knock on the hospital room door. I lifted my head half an inch and looked up at the door to find a tall, rather good looking man standing by it. He had an undercut, similar to mine, with the rest of his hair framing his face. He had a slight shadow of a beard, but it was blond like the rest of his hair, making it nearly impossible to see.

"Hello…" He said, his voice somewhat timid and quiet. However, I could hear the baritone in his voice. No doubt he couldn't project his voice whenever he actually wanted to. I didn't really care of course. I stayed quiet and continued to stare, making him clear his throat. "Uhm… H-How are you?"

"Who are you?" I came back with.

"Oh… I um, I'm Erwin Smith." He introduced himself and stepped into the room a little more.

"And…?" Was he expecting some sort of appraisal for his introduction? He seemed taken aback though, as if he really was expecting something. What I didn't know, but it was something.

"I'm… I'm the person who crashed into you." He admitted, and stepped back. Now I see why he was being so defensive. He thinks I'm going to kill him.

I'm surprised myself to say that I didn't feel like killing him...  _Yet._

"Nice to meet you." I retorted.

"What?" He asked, surprise evident on his face.

"I said that it's nice to meet you. It was Erwin, right?" I asked.

"Yes, but… That's it?"

"What do you mean that's it?"

"I thought that you'd… I mean, after I heard about your family, I-"

"You what?" I glared daggers up at him. It had been fourteen or so hours since I woke up, and no one seemed to want to leave me the fuck alone.

"I just… Came here to apologize."

"Apology accepted, now get out." I growled at him and turned my head to the side.

"Now wait a second-"

" _What?"_  I snapped. "Why can't you just fucking leave me alone?"

"It's because I came here to apologize to you! You think I'm fine with what happened? Because I'm not!"

"So glad to hear it, now leave me alone!" I tried getting out of the bed, but my limbs were weak from being bedridden for two days straight. All I could do was stand and lean against the bed for a crutch.

"I'm sorry, okay?" I looked to this Erwin person to find that his eyes were red, as if he were about ready to cry. I didn't think someone of his stature could cry. "I swear it was an accident. When I heard about your family, I… I'm sorry."

"Stop it," I hissed and tried to sit back down in the bed. I couldn't keep myself up right for long, and my arms were killing me having to hold me up. Seeing my distress, Erwin stepped over to me quietly and helped me sit down. "Let go of me," I commanded and yanked my arm free.

"Rivaille, I'm so sorry. I know what's going through your mind right now, and I can't say I'm so-"

"You have no idea what's going through my head!" I yelled at him. "You didn't lose your sister or your best friend!"

"My wife died in the accident too! I killed my best friend, so don't tell me I don't know how you feel! I know exactly how you feel!"

"Fuck you!" I tried pushing him away, but it was like hitting a brick wall. He was nothing but muscle and bone, and he was bigger than me. Something told me not to pick a fight with him.

"I'm sorry! I just wanted to say I'm sorry!"

"You've done it, so is your conscience clear?"

"No…" He stepped back, a frown falling on his thin lips. "No… It'll never be clear again." With that, a stray tear slipped past his eyes, ruining his tough guy exterior.

The fighting had stopped, and the tension died down. I could feel remnants of tension in the air though. I still weighed it down, still made it heavy, and it was crushing my lungs. Or maybe that was just me pulling a stupid stunt like I did just now by trying to be stronger when I wasn't.

"Look… I'm sorry," I said and tried taking a deep breath. I let it go, but ended up coughing instead. "Your apology… I accept it. You don't need to apologize though. None of it was your fault."

"I have to. I can't live with this over my head."

"Are you saying you want to die?" I asked, glaring at him.

"No, but I… I don't know…"

"It wasn't your fault. Your wife wouldn't want you kissing up to some short shit like me with a foul attitude and an even fouler mouth, now would she?" I smirked when I saw the smile lingering in his jaw. "It wasn't your fault, so stop being such a pussy."

"My wife really wouldn't like you." Erwin said, something akin to a chuckle leaving him. "But I can't just shake what happened."

"It was an accident, Erwin. You didn't mean for it to happen. And besides…" I stopped. When I stopped talking, Erwin looked up at me, his baby blue eyes questioning me.

"Besides what?"

_It was all my fault anyway…_

I didn't say this out loud.

* * *

" _The governor says that the new bill is being processed, and should be executed within the next two months."_

"Can we change the channel now, Levi?" I looked over to Petra, who was bored out of her skull. I had to admit that the news was old and boring, but there really wasn't anything better to watch. I would have changed the channel to cartoons instead, but there was no one to watch those anyway.

"No," I answered with a shake of my head. Petra groaned overzealously and rolled halfway off of the couch.

"I'm bored, Levi!" She whined.

"How old are you?" I asked, watching her readjusting herself on the couch so she could sit up straight.

"Hey, I'm- Oh nice try." I inwardly smirked as she turned away and crossed her arms over her chest. "Stop it, Levi…"

"Hey, Petra…" I said.

"What now?" She sounded more annoyed then she needed to. I sighed.

"Let's get married."

There was a moment of silence. I looked over from the corner of my eyes to look at Petra; she was staring off for a moment, before she slowly turned to look at me. She stared with an unreadable expression on her face and in her eyes.

"Did you overdose on your painkillers again?" She asked.

"No, of course not; I ran out of those two weeks ago." I said and shrugged my shoulders.

"How funny. Don't say such stupid stuff like that, Levi." She huffed and looked away.

"Marrying me would be stupid?"

"Joking about it is stupid. Girls don't like it when you mess with their emotions."

"I wasn't joking." I said, making her look at me again.

"Levi," She began. I stood up from the couch before kneeling down on the ground. I picked up Petra's hand, which had gone completely limp when I held it. "L-Levi…?" She stuttered with a rather prominent blush.

"Petra…" I addressed softly. "You know I'm not one for mushy and romantic shit, but I have to say it, because I don't think I have ever said it. I do hate that kind of crap, but you deserve it. So, since I met you, Petra, all you've done has ever been for me. You let me in, gave me a home, helped me raise…"

It was still hard to say her name.

"I know… These past few weeks, I've been unbearable. I know that I'm not the best person to hang around with in general, and to add what happened into that, for you, I can't believe you stuck around. I don't know how you ever dealt with me to begin with. I can honestly say that I'm surprised you never tossed my ass out, so a thank you is in order. That, and…" I sighed.

I really didn't like this.

"Look, Petra, you know I'm not good at this shit. Just know that… That I love you." This is the first time I ever said it to her before. "I love you, and I don't want to let you go anytime soon. I'm hoping that we can stay like this…Only if you want to, that is..."

"Like I said, I know I've been in a real pain in the ass lately." I shrugged my shoulders and looked away for a moment before continuing. "I'm sorry that I don't have a ring. I couldn't afford one, but it's not like I didn't try or any-"

"Levi," Petra interrupted.

"Yeah?"

"Yes," She said.

"Yes what?"

"Yes," Petra took up my hands and nodded her head. "Yes, I'll marry you."

"… Are you serious?" I asked, rather dumbfounded by her answer. After all that had happened between us, she really wanted to stay? "Are you sure you aren't the one on painkillers?"

"Levi!" I wasn't sure if she was yelling at me or cheering for our new engagement, but I couldn't really think about it. Petra jumped on me, knocking me to the floor. That was okay though, because I took her with me. She sat up, her knees bracketing my hips as she peppered my face with nothing but kisses. She hugged me, and over and over again, she said that she loved me. "I love you so much, Levi!"

Were those tears of happiness or pain? I was about sixty percent positive that they were happy tears, but there was always the chance that they weren't.

"You're choking me," I gasped for air when she loosened her arms from around me. She looked at me with those big, brown eyes of her, and the smile on her lips looked like it would make her cheeks hurt. Her cheeks were flushed red, and nothing but them, but there was nothing wrong with that.

"I'm sorry… I love you, Levi."

"Yeah…?" I smiled while touching her cheek.

"Yeah, I really do." She dropped her head down onto my shoulder, and I wrapped my arms around her in an all too welcomed hug.

"I love you too." I sighed.

Maybe this meant that things would pick up for me again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOHOO~! SAPPY SHIT! XD I'm sorry.  
> Erwin deserves some love. Everybody love the big guy and his awesomeness...  
> ... And Eren is in the next chapter. All shall relax~ ... For now.  
> *dramatic music*


	20. Eren Jaeger... Will be the Death of Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to take this moment to formally apologize to Hitch. I have nothing against her, but... Well I'm not making anymore characters. XD  
> Anyway, HEYYY~! EREN~! He's here~

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** ****  
**"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** ****  
**"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** ****  
**Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** ****  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter: 20**

**Eren Jaeger... Will be the Death of Me** **  
**

* * *

It was ungodly quiet in the room. The only audible sounds to be heard in the room were the scraping of our forks as they hit the plates, and our chewing as we ate. Normally I was an absolute prick against anyone who chewed like a cow, including me, but now wasn't the time for that.

"This is really good." I said after swallowing.

"It's not that hard to make," Petra poked at her food, making a pea roll around on her plate as she tried to get it onto her fork. I tried smiling, but there wasn't much to smile about.

"Well yeah, but... It's still good." I muttered.

"Levi..." Petra sighed. The tone in her voice was one for worry, and if I could tell, it was just that obvious. I had a feeling that I knew what was coming as well, and I set my fork down and wiped my lips off with a napkin.

"Hm...?"

"I think it's over, Levi..."

Yeah, I knew that it was coming.

"... Yeah, I think you're right." I said. Petra set her fork down as well and hid her hands in her lap with her head down. Her knuckles turned white from the grip she had on her skirt, and I noticed the shivering in her body.

"I love you, Levi; I really do, but... But I can't go on like this. I can't keep doing this anymore." Her voice broke down into sobbing as tears started to stain her pale cheeks. I moved my chair closer to her and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into an embrace.

It had been so long since I held her this way.

"I know," I murmured and pushed her bangs out of her face to see her tears.

"I don't want to lose my best friend because of this either. You've been with me for so long, and if you ever left forever, I... I just can't deal with that." Petra covered her face with her hands and hid her crying to the best of her abilities.

"I would never leave you behind." I assured by her ear. "You're my best friend too, and I don't want to lose you just as much."

"I'm so sorry," She sobbed. I pulled her closer, allowing her head to rest on my shoulder so she could cry on me. I didn't mind for once.

"Don't apologize. I've been thinking the same things." I admitted.

"I really do love you, Levi." She rasped. "I'll always love you."

"I know, and I understand." I kissed at what I could reach of her, which was only the side of her head, but it was enough for me. "I love you too. I'll always love you."

* * *

"Hanji, Goddamn it!" I barked. Hanji squealed with what only could be delight before running down the hall with the papers I had just been looking over. "What are you, some sort of fucking kid?"

"No, of course not!" She chirped in her usual, perky way.

"You're acting like one!" I reached for the papers in her hands, but she held them over her head, keeping them out of my reach.

"You're as short as one!"

_Fuck no._

I stomped on her foot, eliciting a cry of pain from her. She dropped my papers, and I picked them up while she cradled her foot in her grabby little hands.

"Look, they got all crumpled!" I growled and started back to my office.

"I think you broke something, Levi!" Hanji whined, but I ignored her to the best of my abilities. I walked back into my office and shut the door behind me. Well, technically I slammed it, but it was still shut.

"Oh Levi," Petra giggled from where she sat on the edge of my desk. "You've got to give her a break. It's been really slow lately."

"I'm not giving her a break because it's slow. She needs to be professional no matter what time of the fucking minute, hour, day, week, or month it is." I growled as I sat down by Petra. "And what are you doing? Get your tiny butt off of my desk." I said and pushed at her shoulders.

"Oh please, I've gained ten pounds in two months." Petra whined and looked down at her body. "I think it shows too." She continued. In retaliation, I smacked her on the back of her head.

"You haven't gained any weight since we went on vacation to Hawaii. Stop worrying about it." I said and moved to sit behind my desk. "Besides, that was two pounds if I remember correctly. I'm pretty sure you're incapable of gaining weight."

"It was two and a quarter and I so am not!" She yipped and frowned.

"If you keep frowning like that, your face is going to freeze that way." I stated.

"Is that what happened to you?" She asked with a cocky grin.

"Oh, you've bested me. How can I possibly overpower you now?" I asked as sarcastically as I could. Petra rolled her eyes at me, her smile coming back. I looked away when I saw her smile, my eyes falling to the papers Hanji had totally ruined. All of these papers were resumes from people hoping to become my new assistant, and now they were crumbled and out of place. I'd been through twenty three people today already, and I couldn't keep their names in track after that many people.

"Damn it..." I cursed under my breath. "Why does she do this shit?"

"To torment your life." Petra responded as she walked around my desk to stand by me. "Levi, she's just bored. She isn't intentionally trying to piss you off." She said. I blatantly looked up at her with a look that questioned her sanity. It was a look that asked, "Are you kidding me?"

"Not all the time." She corrected.

"Right..." I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose. There was a knock at my office door, and I found a happy and overzealous Hanji (who seemed undeterred by her recent injuries that I inflicted) standing by there.

"Oh Levi-"

"No."

"Stop it, Levi." Petra said and playfully smacked my shoulder.

"Levi, it's nothing serious. I wanted to let you know that another interview is here." She said. I groaned quietly to myself as she left, leaving Petra and me alone.

"It's the last person today, Levi." She reminded while rubbing my back.

"He's fucking late," I growled. "How can I even talk to him knowing he's late?"

"Maybe he had a small emergency at home. You never know." Petra shrugged her shoulders and said.

"What's his name anyway?" I asked while looking to the resumes on my desk.

"There's only one resume left, and I think it's this one." Petra said while pointing to the one at the bottom of the pile.

"I would have known had Hanji not fucked up my papers." I growled as I looked at it.

"Relax, Levi. Today is almost over." Petra assured. I tried heeding her advice, taking a big breath in before looking at the resume.

" _Eren Jaeger_ ," I read out loud. " _Jaeger._  Is he German?"

"Possibly," She answered.

"He's eighteen years old and has absolutely no experience in this field. Yeah, we have a winner."

"Give him a chance. You never know." Petra said in a sing song type of tone before leaving me to myself with the office. "I'll tell him to come in." She added before leaving.

I really didn't want to deal with this anymore today. I'd enough people to deal with, all with education and college degrees. What was this kid thinking trying to apply here?

I sighed.

I'd give him the benefit of the doubt, but I knew I'd be saying no in the end of it all. He was probably some drunk and drugged teenager who wouldn't give a shit let alone two if he got this job in the first place.

All in all, it was a no, and there was nothing that could convince me otherwise.

"Excuse me?" A timid voice called out. I looked back at my door while setting the resume down to see a tall, tan boy standing at the doorway.

Well, I expected worse. He didn't look like the type to party and get drunk on a daily basis, but what did I know about looks? He was dressed well though, as well as a simple green shirt, black jeans, and a pair of old sneakers could do. He had short, brown hair and bright, green eyes, and I felt my heart lurch in a strange way.

Isabel's eyes.

"H-Hi, I'm Eren Jaeger." He introduced. "I'm here for the interview."

"Right, come take a seat." I said and motioned to the couch in my office.

"Sorry I'm late. My car broke down and my sister had to leave school and get me here." He said while taking off his backpack and sitting down on the couch.

"It's understandable," I picked up his resume and sat on the couch opposite of him. I really didn't appreciate excuses, but I had to remember that he was eighteen. He still had some growing up to do. "So, Jaeger, my name is Rivaille."

Just because everyone else called me Levi at work didn't mean I didn't appreciate it. I wanted to keep the relationship as professional as possible, and using that name made me feel that it would be.

"It's nice to meet you, Rivaille." Eren said and lifted his hand for me to shake. I simply stared at him, a little surprised and disoriented by the way he said my name.

No one had ever been able to say my name right on the first try. Even today, after interviewing twenty or so people, no one got my name right on the first attempt. Some even couldn't say it at all, and I was resorted to telling them to call me Levi.

"Not bad," I barely kept it under my breath as I shook his hand. "Your palms are sweaty. Are you nervous?" I noted.

"Ah, um, a little." He said and wiped his hand off with his pant leg.

"You aren't going to pass out on me, are you?"

"No, no, of course not. I'm fine, I promise." He assured. I nodded my head quietly and held up his resume.

"Well Jaeger, I've gotta tell you, I've interviewed a lot of people today. I've interviewed people who have college degrees, years of work experience, and who own a proper car that won't break down on them and make them late for their interview." I saw the look of fear flash across his eyes; no doubt he was already thinking that it was a lost cause. It was, but I wanted to indulge. "So, my question to you, instead of grilling you about useless shit normal employers do, is why you turned in a nearly blank resume and even tried?" I held up the one page resume and showed it to him.

He looked down at the floor, eyes slightly tinted dark by the rim of his bangs. His hands were held together, his fingers tightening as he shifted on the couch.

"Well, um..." He began. "... I can't really say that I'd be good at this job. I've never had experience with work, and that would make it a pain in the ass to train me. My friend says that you'll like me more, because I have a mind that can be molded the way you want it to. I don't know what he's talking about, of course; my mind is just dead from school."

"So then why did you hand it in?" I asked incredulously.

"If I didn't, I'd never know, right?" His green eyes shifted to look at me, and I found myself somehow drawn to them. "I know it's a waste, but I need a job, and I thought, "Why not?" I would have a chance if I did at least... Or maybe not." He shrugged his shoulders and rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes drifting off to the side. I followed them, seeing what he was seeing.

The trio of idiots; Hanji, Petra, and Erwin, were watching us. Petra and Hanji were in a quiet fit of giggles, and Erwin was looking at Eren with some approving look that I didn't understand.

"Hey, why aren't you working?" I asked, or rather, I bit their heads off. The three disappeared quickly, and I turned my attention back to Eren. Eren had a really terrible frown, one that made him look like a kicked puppy. I actually felt bad for the kid.

"... I'm sorry for wasting your time, sir." He mumbled and grabbed his backpack. I watched him walk out of the room, and my eyes lingered on the doorway until Petra poked her head in.

"Did you say no to him already?" She asked with a frown.

"No, he just left." I said and set his resume down.

"Oh, Levi, he's like a little puppy!" She mused and pushed at my shoulder. "Don't break his heart like that."

"I told you that he just left. I didn't tell him to leave." I said.

"Well...?" She asked.

"Well what?"

"What's he like?"

"He's okay." Petra sighed

"Just  _"okay?"_  Is he nice?"

"Sure," I mumbled.

"Levi, seriously here." Petra sat on the side on the couch beside me and looked me in the eyes. "Did you... Did you notice it?"

"You mean his eyes? Yeah, I noticed." I stated.

"You didn't say no because of that, right?"

"Absolutely not. I told you he left on his own. I never even said anything to him about not getting the job."

"So wait, he got it?" Petra asked, a smile widening on her lips.

"Of course not," I answered. Her smile fell instantly. "Petra, don't do that. He's a kid with no experience and a barely working car. He's not what I'm looking for."

"You said that about everyone else." She stated, rather gravely too. "All of the people you interviewed weren't right somehow. I don't know what you're looking for Levi, but you need to pick. If it were me, I'd pick  _him."_

"You aren't me. And why him?"

"Because he can learn." Those were her last words before she left. She left me with an odd tension and heavy weight in the air. I rolled my eyes as I stood, leaving my office for some fresh air.

"Look at your face! Oh, what an adorable face!" Hanji's squealing could be heard the moment I opened the door, and I looked down the hall to see her globbing all over Eren.

"Hanji, let the poor kid go. You're scaring him." Gunther touched Hanji's shoulder, hoping to pull her away, but she slapped at his hand and ignored him. She went right back to Eren, who was trying hard not to be rude and run away with his puppy tail between his legs. I wouldn't blame him if he did. Hanji was a real pain in the ass.

"Are you wearing contacts by chance?" She asked him, pulling his face close so she could examine him further.

"N-No, this is my really eye color." He stuttered with a blush.

"So pretty! You have some very good genes on you, Eren."

"Thank you?" He sounded so confused as he stepped back to avoid another gruesome attack.

"Hanji, down girl." Petra said and forced Hanji's hands off of the poor kid. Eren sent her a quick glance, one that poured gratitude to her and Petra smiled at him with that warm hearted smile she gave everyone. "Are you okay, Eren?" She asked him.

"I'm okay; a little down, but okay." He was terrible at telling lies. His ears burned a bright red and his eyes portrayed more than he probably realized.

"Oi, Jaeger!" I called out before stepping into the room.

Wait, what am I doing?

"Uhm, y-yes sir?" He asked. I stepped up and stared at him, and Eren looked away, his cheeks vaguely showing a hint of color in them.

"You got the job."

What the actual fuck am I saying?

"Really...?" Eren beamed with happiness, his eyes practically glowing with joy.

Fuck him and his eyes. He looked just like  _her._

"Yeah, you got it." Petra and Hanji practically cheered beside me, but, because of the professional atmosphere, they kept calm.

Barely.

"Thank you! Thank you so much, Rivaille! You have no idea how much this means to me!" Like I said plenty of times before, he was still a kid. However, I expected some decency from him and a bit (a minuscule bit) of professionalism in him. I didn't know what I was thinking. He was a kid, so it shouldn't have surprised me when he wrapped his arms around me for a hug.

"I seriously can't thank you enough-" I cut him off with a quick fist into his stomach. He went down like a lead weight, hands gripping his stomach as he coughed and sputtered for air.

"Levi," Erwin said in a disapproving manner.

"First rule: Absolutely no touching me." I stated and flexed my hand and fingers.

"Duly noted," Eren gasped for air, pushing himself onto his elbows to gain some control over himself.

"When is the earliest you can work?" I asked.

"A-Anytime sir," He said and winced as he looked up at me.

"Can you start tomorrow, or is that going to get in the way of school?"

"No, I just started college online. It's perfect." Eren flashed a dumb, teenage boy, toothy grin at me, and I just rolled my eyes.

"Are you even going to be able to get here with your car?"

"I'll find a way," The look of determination that flashed in his eyes and made them gleam with an odd sense of hope was truly unsettling for someone like me. I hadn't seen a look like that since...

"Perfect."

* * *

"No, no, I've been eating." I rolled my eyes as I flipped a paper over to read it.

"Oh Rivaille dear, we're just concerned for you. You've sounded so tired lately and- Put those papers down and listen to me right now, young man."

Damn it. Four thousand miles away and over a phone and my great grandmother still knows when I'm not paying attention to her.

"Sorry, grandma," I said with a sigh and set the paper down.

"Good boy," She praised. "As I was saying, you've sounded so tired lately."

"It's a new case, grandma. It's just a little stressful, and I'm a little more tired than usual. You make it sound like I'm dying." I said.

"Fatigue can kill people, Rivaille. It makes them go insane." I could just picture her wagging a finger at me. She was probably doing it too, making her look senile on her end.

"Is that what happened to you?" I rebuked.

"Don't make me put you in a time out, young man."

"I'm thirty four years old, grandma. I'm a little too old for time outs." I stated and leaned back against my desk.

"Not to me you aren't." I decided not to press the subject. She'd take a plane ride over here if it meant taking care of me; that much I knew. I heard a long sigh on her end before she continued. "Rivaille, we only worry."

"I know, grandma, I know, but I'm okay. I'm just fine. As a matter of fact, I've never been better." I tried to assure.

"But I can never be too sure not being there myself to take care of you."

"Grandmother, no." I immediately shot her down.

"I didn't even say anything!"

"You don't have to. I know you and what you're implying, and I'm a big boy. I'm old enough by now to take care of myself." I rolled my eyes again before standing fully and getting back to my tedious papers and reports.

"Rivaille, I am just saying that you can't be alone anymore. Don't you have anyone in your life these days?" I heard the broken tone in her voice, but I couldn't let her do this again, no matter how much it pained and killed me to do it.

"Grandmother, I'm not getting married again." I daringly stated.

"Oh Rivaille," She pouted.

"Hey, Rivaille," There was a knock on my door, followed by a boyish voice I had come to know in two years. I didn't have to look to know who it was, but I turned anyway to see Eren standing there, head and shoulders peaking from the door frame while the rest of his body was hidden.

"Yes, Jaeger…?"

"I sent those files to you." He said. "I sent them an hour ago though."

"Sorry, I've been on the phone." I explained with a quiet voice. "I'll look at them when I'm done." Eren nodded his head with one of those smiles that hadn't gone away with the years before disappearing behind the door. "Sorry, grandma. What were we saying?"

"Who was that, dear?" Grandma asked, her voice full of a mischievous curiosity that was dangerous, and I knew it.

"That was just Eren," I answered.

"Who is Eren?"

I had a thought cross my mind. A crazy thought. I thought it insane, but the words left my mouth like it was second nature, just like breathing, and I didn't even have time to stop them.

"My husband."

Wait,  _what?_

"Your husband?" She gaped in surprise.

No, no, no! Take it back! Take it back before she-

"Did you hear that, honey? Rivaille got married again!"

Fucking hell...

"Grandma, w-wait, I didn't mean-"

"You've gotten married again?" My grandfather's voice was the most erratic I've ever heard it in years.

"No, grandpa-"

"When did you get married? Why weren't we invited?" My grandmother asked. "What's he like? What's he look like? Is he kind to you, Rivaille?"

"Is he taller than you, Rivaille? Petra wasn't, but it's hard to find anyone who is shorter than you." My grandfather stated with a laugh.

"He must be something to catch our little boy's eye." Did my grandmother wink into the fucking receiver?

"And to think that I got my birthday wish. Rivaille got married before my hundred and first birthday!"

"We have to visit then! Rivaille, when can we come in?"

Well I just fucked myself over.

* * *

The goofy look that flashed on Eren's face after my comment was worth it. It was rare when he was left speechless, because the idiot had a lot to say all of the time, but for once he was quiet. I simply smirked and left the room, leaving a very confused Eren behind.

I needed to check on my great grandparents. I know that they said they would be fine finding the guest room, but I had to be sure. Grandma couldn't even remember

Eren's name, and I had said it six or seven times beforehand. So, with that being said, I had to help them. I could always lie and say I wanted to talk with them while they unpacked, which they wouldn't let me help with no matter what I said.

"He's such a beautiful boy," My grandmother's old voice was rather loud from the guest room. I stopped outside the door and leaned against the wall, keen on listening in to hear their thoughts on Eren.

"He is. He looks so young though. I don't know how he does it." Grandfather said, and I heard the sound of the suitcase zipper slide open.

"Yes, yes, and I feel like he's good for Rivaille. I don't know how to say it, I just have this...  _Feeling_. Eren is very good for our boy, I can tell."

How...? Eren was my assistant in the world outside of this lie. He was my assistant that I beat up on occasionally when he messed up on reports, and who I had go get lunch every now and again. How could that possibly be good for me?

"But," My grandmother suddenly mused.

_Uh oh._

"But...?" My grandfather asked.

"I feel like there is something odd about their relationship. Almost like they're too awkward with each other..."

 _Fuck,_  she already suspects something.

"Don't do that to them already. They are newlyweds, and they're a little worried to be around us right now. Eren must be in a panicking mess because of us being here, so give them some time. I'm sure they'll be fine soon enough." My grandfather assured.

I sighed quietly; leave it to him to try and help us.

"Well... Okay then." My grandmother still didn't sound convinced at all. I bit at my bottom lip, cursing our luck.

She was too smart and crafty, and I should have known. She's going to suspect, and she's going to pry into this until she knows the truth.

We need to do something to get her off of our tracks. Sleeping in the same bed and cuddling some isn't enough; she wouldn't buy it if that's all we did. We need to do something more, something that will get her to stop sniffing at our relationship. That meant we were going to have to push the boundaries of this whole situation and "act" a little more.

Eren was going to hate me by the end of this, and for some reason, that upset me.

* * *

_Damn him._  Damn him to hell. I thought that I had a pretty good grip over myself and my emotions after so many years, but obviously that wasn't what I though at all.

How could I let that happen? How could I let it go so far? Why didn't I stop it sooner? Had it not been for my grandparents butting in (which I would have to thank them for later), I don't know what would have happened, because I was just as lost as Eren was.

How could I get so worked up over one stupid, simple, meaningless kiss? How could I let it get so... I couldn't even think of a good word to say what happened to it and how far it turned. All I knew was that I was acting, forcing this on us both so my grandparents could be happy. That was at one instant. The next instant was me being lost.

I forgot. I blanked out completely, forgot it was an act, and went with it, which wasn't supposed to happen.

He didn't notice, right? No, of course not; Eren's too much of a dimwit and a simpleton to even notice. He seemed just as lost though, too caught up in one kiss to even notice it, and if he didn't notice, he surely thought it was only him.

It wasn't like it was all that terrible really. It's just more convincing, right? My grandmother will stop snooping around, because we did our little performance, right? She had to; I couldn't do that again. I couldn't do it again, especially if I was going to lose my own willpower while he kissed me.

It's over now anyway. We don't have to do it anymore, and if we do, I'll make sure to watch my actions and keep myself tame. So I needed to calm down now. I needed to relax before my grandparents noticed that I was off on so many levels.

So why couldn't I calm down? Why did I feel my cheeks heating up with a blush? Why did I feel my ears burning at the tips?

Why was I shaking and why was there a terrible tingle in my lower abdomen that I knew all too well?

_... Damn him._

* * *

"Shush," I whispered. Eren shifted in my arms, his eyes slipping shut. I looked at his tired face, watching as he finally relaxed in a way I had never seen Eren relax before. He looked so content and peaceful, and I had something to do with that.

"Levi..." He mumbled sleepily.

"I said shut up," I couldn't find it in my heart to actually bite his head off right now. Who would when Eren looked so... Whoa,  _back the fuck up_. Let's not get too ahead of myself. "You're tired, aren't you?"

"... Mhm..." Eren's eyes weren't even trying to stay open anymore. His head nuzzled against my neck, and I looked back over to the burning flames in the fire pit.

The belt was long gone. The only remnants of it were the belt buckle, but that was slowly disintegrating. I scoffed; it was some cheap knock-off metal, so of course it would be gone. I looked back down at Eren, and he was already out cold. I wouldn't blame him, not right now at least. However, this did make things difficult for me.

"Shit..." I quietly cursed. I pulled Eren's legs into one arm and held his shoulders with the other before standing. The kid was lighter than I thought, but still a deadweight that was a pain in the ass to hold. I carefully set him down back in the passenger's seat and buckled him in, but stopped when I glanced at his face.

He looked so...  _Peaceful._  He looked like he hadn't had a decent night of sleep in years, and this was the first time he was able to do it. I didn't even think a train flying over our heads could wake him up. I was glad though, glad that I did something for him, and glad that it really had helped him.

This poor brat didn't deserve the shit he had to go through, and I just added on to all of it. Sure, I never knew about his past. Had I known I surely would have never laid a hand on him, but it was too late. Now I knew, and I felt like I had said my apologies in the best way I could. I hoped that was the case though. If not... Well, I wouldn't know what to do.

Eren shifted in his sleep, his face scrunching up a bit, and I felt that pain in my chest again. He had the same little facial dimples that Isabel had, but his weren't as prominent. Then again, Isabel had been so young, and Eren was twenty now, soon to be twenty one.

My eyes widened slightly.

That's right; Eren's birthday was tomorrow. I had been planning with my grandparents, his sister, and his friend, but I nearly forgot with everything happening around us. I felt bad all over again.

"I'm such an idiot..." I didn't even notice the action, because it felt so right to do. I lifted my hand up and placed it on his cheek. His skin was so warm and inviting, a little too warm for my comforts, but it was probably the fires fault. I moved forward a little, and then a little more. I really would have done it had Eren not suddenly shifted in place.

Fuck, what did I just try to do?

* * *

"Shit... Fucking hell..." I dropped my head down onto the steering wheel, albeit harshly, but I deserved it. I deserved this, and a lot of other shit. I wouldn't be surprised if Eren really had come to hate me.

Why, why, why? Why did I do it? Why did I suddenly yell at him like I did? Why did I hit him? I told him I would never do it again. I promised, and I broke it.

Why couldn't I keep a promise to anyone?

"Goddamn it!" I yelled in frustration. I was glad that the car windows were up and I was in a rather empty parking garage, all expect for a few cars, but that was fine. I didn't need anyone coming after me like I was some freak show.

I wasn't crazy. I wasn't angry. I was just upset. Although I would admit I was probably a little tipsy. I had been at a bar before this.

"I'm sorry..." Who was I really saying it to? Was it Eren, Isabel, _Petra?_ There were so many things I needed to apologize for to so many people, and I had lost that list. Eren was one of them. Petra was another. Who else was there?

There was a knock on my car window. I lifted my head up from my steering wheel to see a woman standing outside, but not a cop. I think I would have preferred a cop.

Outside was a dainty woman, with short, blond, and wavy hair pulled back by a headband. She had on a crop top hidden slightly by a heavy leather jacket, though the jacket was open to show her exposed waistline and hips. She had on the shortest pair of shorts I think I have ever seen; maybe those were just a pair of briefs. Under those was a pair of tattered stockings that were ripped in multiple places, but whether they were made that way or ripped intentionally was uncertain. On her feet were tiny heels that made her feet look small, but they lifted her four or five inches off of the ground, making her look really tall. This wasn't true though. She was probably a little taller than me, if not by two or three inches.

Oh just perfect.

I rolled down my window, and I fully regretted it. I was hit by the strongest perfume known to all of humanity, and it took everything in me to keep myself from gagging at the scent.

"What?" I asked curtly.

"You okay in there, doll face?" She asked me, her voice practically silk. "You don't look so hot."

"I'm fine," I answered and turned my head. I looked from the corner of my eyes to see the women rest her weight against the car door, then rest her head down on her arms. She smiled a sweet smile, her brown eyes practically glowing in the dark.

"I can tell you're a smart man. Look at me; do you honestly think I can't tell when a man is lying to me?" She asked, momentarily motioning to herself with a thin hand. I'll admit that her comment got a small smile on my face. "Now see, that's much better. You've got such a sexy face; why waste it?"

"Is that your way of asking me if I'll pay you for services?" I asked with a scoff.

"You'd probably be better action then what I'm getting out there." She rolled her eyes when she motioned to the streets with her head.

"... Sure, what the hell? It's not like I can't hate myself any more than I do already." I said with a sigh. The women's smile widened into a grin before she smoothly walked over to the other side of my car and stepped inside. She hummed when she stepped in, almost like she was cold. She probably was, what with her outfit arrangement and all.

"Nice car," She mused. "What does a man like you do for a living to afford such a ride?" She leaned over to me slightly, her fingers reaching for my inner thigh.

"I'm a lawyer," I said, and I felt like laughing. She obviously got the ironic pun too.

"A lawyer doing something like this? You must be such a bad boy." She said with that smooth voice of her. I simply shrugged. It wasn't like I cared. "If I get caught for this, would you take care of me?" Her hand traveled along the inside of my thigh, slowly moving higher.

I was really going to do this, wasn't I? I was really going to have sex with some prostitute I had never met before. When had I really dropped so low in life?

"Well if it's me you're caught with, there isn't much I can help you with." I mumbled. Her hand slowly crept over my most intimate of areas before going to the belt of my pants.

"Hm," She hummed and moved across the console to sit on my legs. And I thought Eren was light. She couldn't have weighed more than one hundred pounds. I reluctantly placed my hands on her waist to find that she really was freezing cold. How long had she been out there? "You're warm baby," She whispered near my ear.

"You're just cold," I muttered. I felt my belt come undone, and she giggled by my ear. She pulled back, and I was expecting for the next step, but she sat back completely, her back falling against the steering wheel, but not with so much pressure that she could make the horn go off.

"Honey, I'm going to give you a secret." She said and winked at me. "Sex is so much better when both parties have full concentration."

"And...?" I asked.

"Why don't you go ahead and tell me what's on your mind." She suggested.

"That's none of your business." I growled.

"Oh come on. I am secretly a licensed therapist." She arched her back a little, proud of herself.

"Oh  _really...?"_

"Really. Why do you think I do what I do? I'm a miracle worker." She bragged. "Besides, I'm a total stranger to you, and isn't it easier to tell someone you don't know something secretive?" She asked and leaned forward. I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose.

"If it makes you feel better, who am I going to tell? Even if I told someone, no one gives a shit about what I say unless it's rules or directions." She smirked, but I saw a glimmer of something flash through her big eyes. Was it pain or sadness? Obviously it was some form of hurt. "Go on, hun. Pour your heart out."

"... What the fuck am I doing?" I questioned out loud and leaned back in my seat.

"Talking to your personal therapist." She retorted with barely any emotion. I groaned before starting.

"So... It's a really long story."

"I've got time." She smiled and leaned back.

"Well, where do I begin?"

"From the beginning is usually a good place." She suggested.

"It's confusing as all hell, even to me."

"Well talking it out may help."

"... Well, my great grandparents decided to visit from France. I told them I had gotten married, but I didn't; I was just saying that to make them happy. So I got someone who could play married to me while they were here." I wasn't going to mention that I had actually recruited Eren way before they had planned to come to America.

"Makes sense," She mused.

"Does it...? Well, I found out something about Eren that he had been keeping secret, and it made a lot of sense as to why he did a lot of the things he actually did."

"Want to indulge me?"

"His..." Like she said, no one would ever know. It wasn't like she'd ever tell, let alone have it get back to Eren. "… His father used to hit him... He used to use his belt or his fists."

"Alright, keep going."

"Tonight... I blew up at him. He and my grandmother had been talking about something important, but I didn't know what. I just blew up on him, trying to figure out what it was, but I was so upset, and when he tried touching me, I slapped his hand away."

"Ohh," She sighed. Obviously she understood.

"I promised I wouldn't do it again. I said it, and... And I still hit him. Even if I didn't really hit him, it was still the same thing to him. The way he looked at me... He was  _scared_  of me. I  _scared_  him."

"It sounds like he's really important to you." The women interjected and tucked her soft hair behind her ear.

"What? How did you get to that conclusion already?" I asked.

"Hun, you wouldn't be so upset right now if you didn't care for him. You've got real feelings for him, and you're upset, because you upset him." She said.

"That's not true!" I barked at her. She raised her blond eyebrows at me, her lips forming a thin line.

"Seriously." She said. I sighed and looked away. "You care for this Eren guy, and he cares about you."

"No he doesn't."

"Oh really? Your phone has been vibrating in the back seat for ten minutes now." I looked back to the back seat where I had thrown my phone. I hadn't even heard it, but it really was going off. The women leaned back to get it for me, and she held it up to look at the screen. "I'm pretty sure this is the same Eren."

"Give me that," I demanded and took my phone from her. I looked at the screen; sure enough, Eren was calling. The phone call ended though, and the screen lit up, telling me that I had already missed twenty-two calls.

"He sounds like a sweet kid, so obviously he cares for you. I'm sure he likes you just as much as you like him. Why are you so worried now?" She asked me.

"... I don't really know." My phone didn't ring again, and I set it down on the empty seat next to us.

"If I were you, I'd go home and stop making him worry."

"You aren't me..."

"So you'd rather have him sitting at home alone and worry about you all night?" She asked, her voice lower, an attempted threat. I barely looked at her for less than a few seconds before looking away.

_"No..."_

"So what's stopping you?" She asked.

"You're sitting on me." I grumbled. She let out a loud laugh before shifting back to sit on the passenger seat, moving my phone back to me.

"Sorry, it's a force of habit." She explained with a little laugh leaving her.

"It's fine," I mumbled.

"So are you gonna get going or what?" She asked with a playful shove to my shoulders. "You waiting for the sun to rise or something?"

"Huh...?" I blinked wearily at her and asked. The women leaned forward in the seat and tapped at the LCD screen where my time was. The clock read four fifteen.

"Fuck, when did it get so late?" Sleep deprivation hit me hard, and I rubbed my eyes to get rid of the sleep.

"Time passes by when realization sinks in." The women retorted. I rolled my tired eyes before reaching into my pocket.

"How much do I owe you?" I asked and pulled out my check book.

"Huh...? I haven't even done anything for you. Let me get you off, and then you can pay me." She said with a nervous laugh.

"No, you're right. I need to get home and talk to Eren, so I shouldn't make him wait any longer." My words made her smile. "What's your name?"

"Garrison," She replied. I looked away from the book to glare at her.

"Your real name," I said.

"I don't give my real name to strangers." She said with a grin.

"Alright, you can fill out the rest then." I said and handed her an almost blank check. The only thing written on there was the number written down. She took one look at it, and her eyes widened considerably.

"Whoa, wait!" She cried. "I didn't even do anything! This, t-this is... Fuck, this is a lot of money!" Her hands shook almost frantically as she held the check in her hands. "I can't accept this!"

"It's fine. I have a lot of money anyway. Keep it." I said and waved a hand at her.

"B-But I can't! This is... Shit..." Tears threatened to leak out of her big eyes, and I gently touched her cheek. "I-I didn't even do anything for you."

"You did a lot more than you realize." I said. I leaned forward and kissed her cheek, not as a sexual favor, but as a form of gratitude. "Get out of this while you still can. Move far away and get a real job." I whispered when my lips moved near her ear. Her bottom lip quivered, and tears spilled over her lower lids and trailed down her cheeks with makeup running through the tears.

"I don't know how..."

"You can do it. You're smarter than you're making yourself out to be." I said softly. She nodded her head vigorously, sitting back to get out of the car. I watched her stand, but she lingered at the door.

"... Hitch. My name is Hitch." She said with a smile. I nodded my head to her.

"Good luck, Hitch." I said.

"Thanks,  _doll face."_  She retorted before shutting the door.

* * *

I looked out into the living room, my eyes trained on Eren as he watched cartoons on the TV. He was so unaware, so clueless, and that made him so innocent.

With what I was thinking, did I really want to ruin that for him? I know I had already fucked myself over by telling him things about me I shouldn't have, but it wasn't too much. I could still let him live without that over his head. However, he knew a bit about me now, and he would do what Isabel used to do. He would poke and prod and pry until he knew the truth. He'd probably do it more discretely though.

Even if I didn't tell him, I still needed to apologize to him. I bit his head off yesterday, I upset him, and that shouldn't have gone on unpunished as long as it did. That wasn't fair to him at all.

I quietly sighed as I moved into the kitchen. My great grandfather was sitting in one of the bar stools, watching as my great grandmother chopped up a slice of chicken that had been sitting in the fridge. She already had her cooking set up around her while wearing the stupid "Kiss the Chef" apron Erwin got me as a birthday present last year. The stupid fool. Erwin anyway, not my grandmother.

"Hey," I said quietly, gaining their attention.

"It's our little boy, the bed head." My grandfather announced. I reached up into my hair to find out that my hair was indeed everywhere. I tried patting it down, but it was bent and curled in so many places that I needed a shower to fix it. After last night, my skin was crawling all over with the need for one.

"There's my baby." My grandmother mused with a smile.

"Hey, I just... I wanted to apologize for last night." I mumbled while looking at the floor. "I yelled at you when I shouldn't have, and you didn't do anything wrong. I shouldn't have gotten so upset with you the way I did, and I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Oh my baby," My grandmother set the cutting knife down to pull me close and hug me. "You don't need to apologize to us. We know that you were upset, and it's very understandable."

"It still doesn't make it right." I grumbled. My grandmother chuckled by my ear while my grandfather reached over the counter to touch my arm.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You can't do that, because it'll make you sick." He said to me.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"And stop apologizing," My grandmother playfully slapped my arm. "We understand. Have you apologized to Eren yet?" She asked.

"A little bit, but... I should probably say it again."

"Levi baby, I know what you're really upset about." My grandmother said with a slight sigh and went back to chopping the chicken. "I know you never told him what happened to you in the past."

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Because we talked about it. He didn't know anything about what happened to you, but he didn't want me to say anything to him. He wanted to hear it from you." She looked up at me and smiled.

 _Eren had been telling me the truth... And I yelled at him for it..._  I looked away, guilt building up in my chest.

"Mon bébé..." My grandmother sighed.

"Levi, I think it's time you told him what happened." My grandfather said.

"I can't do it..."

"Levi, we aren't saying you have to, but you should. Eren trusts you, and you shouldn't be afraid of what'll happen if you say something to him." My grandmother said.

"I-I know that." No, I didn't  _stutter_ , I just choked on sediment.

"Levi..." My grandmother touched my hand, her black eyes staring into mine. "He really does love you. He wants to help you too, so why don't you let him? You've been carrying this around with you for far too long, and it would do you good to let it out."

If only my grandmother really knew the truth.

"I don't..." I stopped. My grandmother tapped me under my chin, making me lift my eyes again. She looked me with one of those looks a parent gets when they know their kids been lying to them, but they don't bother saying it out loud.

"Levi, he really does love you." She said softly. "And I know you love him too."

Was this my grandmother's way of saying that she knew?

* * *

"Levi...!" My eyes shot open, a gasp escaping me as I panted for air. My lung ached, my chest hurt with a heavy pressure, and I was completely drenched in sweat.

Eren was hovering over me, his eyes worried and concerned as he looked at me in the dark. He touched my forehead, pushing my bangs out of my face that were practically sticking to me. I grabbed at his hand, ready to pull it away, but I found that I was too relaxing. I ended up holding into it, savoring the sensation while I still had it.

"Levi..." Eren murmured softly. His hand caressed my cheek again, but it didn't leave my grasp. "It was just a bad dream." He said softly.

"I know..."

It was just a nightmare.

If only it hadn't really happened already.

"I'm sorry for waking you up..." Eren whispered empathetically.

"Don't apologize... I'm glad you did." I sighed. I felt his hand pull back, and with a sudden panic I hadn't felt in years, I yanked on his whole arm, pulling him down against me. His head fell against my shoulder, and he grunted at the probably painful contact. He didn't try to sit up though, and that meant more to me than I wanted to admit.

"Levi...?" He quietly questioned.

"Don't move," I begged, but I didn't have enough energy to sound more authoritative. Eren readjusted himself on top of me, his head finding a more comfortable spot to lie against my chest.

"I wasn't planning on it," Eren said with a small laugh. I wrapped my arms around him, my fingers going to run through his hair, and the kid practically purred against me. "Do you want to tell me what it was about?" He asked quietly, his hands touching my sides.

"No... Not now anyway. I'm too tired." I said and barely stifled a yawn. Eren nodded his head and closed his eyes, and I joined him, hoping for sleep to come to me easily.

However, even though I was tired, my mind was too rushed. It wasn't even about the nightmare anymore, but about this, about us. Tomorrow afternoon, my grandparents would be leaving to go home to France, and then this would be gone. I'd be back to sleeping alone, to living in this big, empty place alone. I had gotten so used to the chaos of living with Eren that it was normal to me, even though it had been only two weeks.

And I wasn't ready to let this go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we are now back into the present. :3


	21. One More Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh that took forever to upload. I'm sorry. X'D

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter 21:**

**One More Night** **  
**

* * *

_"Flight two-eighty to France now boarding."_

I looked over to Levi and his great grandparents, watching as they hugged and kissed him over and over again. He eventually had to stop them; who wouldn't after about ten hugs and kisses from just one person?

"Alright, alright, I get it." Levi said and waved his hand at his grandmother's face. "I'll keep eating." He grumbled begrudgingly, and I chuckled at the way he sounded like a whining child.

"You better, or I'll make Eren force you to eat." His grandmother threatened light heartedly and lightly tapped at his cheek.

"Don't bring me into that." I said with a light laugh. His grandmother motioned for me to come closer, and I did and received a firm hug from her. For all of her short stature, the women had some serious strength. Now I knew where Levi got it from. "I'll miss you," I said against her blouse.

"We'll miss you too, sweetheart." She said. I left her arms, but only to hug Levi's grandfather instead. He wasn't as strong his wife, but he still managed to squeeze a few tears out of me.

"Have a safe flight," I said before pulling back. I wiped my tears away quickly, trying to mask it by coughing, but his grandmother was too smart to fall for something like that.

"Don't cry, baby. We can come visit any time you boys are free." His grandmother said and held my hand.

"I'd like that a lot." I wiped away the rest of my tears, trying to force some sort of smile on my lips.

This wasn't a lie either. Maybe when they first got here, I would have panicked at the thought of doing this all over again. Now it didn't bug me. I would have loved for them to come visit us again, and I wouldn't mind having to stay at Levi's place for a while, or sleeping in the same bed as him, being held close to his body and enjoying the warmth. I wouldn't have care, and if Levi asked me to do this all again, I'd have to restrain myself from practically jumping on the chance to do it.

"Let me know when you land in France." Levi said, receiving one last hug from his grandmother. She kissed his forehead, and she whispered something in his ear, something I didn't catch. Levi didn't react to it, and he didn't seem deterred by whatever it was. He pulled away and dropped his head against my shoulder, and I grabbed his hand and held it in mine.

"You two behave yourselves." Levi's grandfather said, attempting a wink at us, but he couldn't pull it off. Regardless, Levi clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. Obviously he knew on the spot what his grandfather was referring to, but it took me a moment to understand.

Oh typical. The man can't remember what his wife made for breakfast, but he remembers catching me and Levi on the couch together a week ago.

"We'll try," I mumbled with a blush and looked at the ground. There was an announcement for their flight to board again, and Levi's grandfather ushered his wife around in her wheelchair to the gate. "Have a safe flight!" I called out to them and waved my hand. I distantly heard Levi chuckle beside me, and it took a lot to keep myself together and not break out crying like a baby.

Levi's grandmother looked past her husband and over the side of her wheelchair to wave a hand at us, and we both waved back. She grinned widely before looking back to the door to the plane, and then the two were lost in a sea of people. I tried looking over everyone to see where they had gone, standing up as straight as I could, but it was no use. They had completely disappeared. I felt Levi shifting beside me, and I smiled when I noticed him standing on his toes to be taller. I tried not to smile at this, but it wasn't possible, not when it was him doing it.

"Shut up," Levi growled beside me. Obviously he knew what I was thinking.

"Sorry," I chuckled. We watched as the crowd of people got onto the plane, and then we waited a while. We sat in the airport chairs, watching as the doors closed. Eventually, though it must have been twenty minutes, the plane finally left the gate.

I once thought that seeing that plane take off would bring me relief, that I could breathe easier knowing I could go home with Mikasa and sleep in my own bed, but now it wasn't what I thought at all. I was upset, and I hated every moment of this. They were gone, I'd have to go back home, and I'd have to sleep in my bed by myself again. Don't get me wrong; I missed my sister terribly and couldn't wait to be home, but now I wasn't so sure where my home was.

When had that line vanished?

"Well," Levi sighed and pushed himself up onto his feet. "That's it then."

"That it is." I said. Levi offered his hand to me, and I took it so I could get up. I expected him to let go as soon as I was standing, but he didn't. Instead, he began walking, my hand still in his as we walked through the airport. I felt my stomach turning around in an odd sensation, like butterflies were flying around in there, but I didn't want to say anything. I didn't want it to end just yet. "I can't believe we did it."

"Neither can I," Levi mumbled.

"Be honest, Levi; when we started this, did you really think we could pull it off?" I asked.

"Hell no," He replied. "I thought we'd make it two hours tops before they either figured it out or I killed you." I laughed at him and tightened my hand around his.

"That's what I thought too. We made it though."

"Two fucking weeks." Levi practically hissed with his words. "Has it only been two weeks?"

"It doesn't feel like it." I looked down at him and said. "It feels even shorter."

"Time goes by too fast."

Was that a hint of remorse I heard? Or was he thinking too hard again?

"So... What do we do now?" I begrudgingly asked. I didn't want to, but it had to be asked. What do we do now? We couldn't just keep living together, no matter how much I wanted to, and I wanted to really badly.

"Hm," Levi hummed to himself. He looked like he didn't have much of an answer; maybe he hadn't been thinking about that either. "I guess... We go back home and pack your stuff up." He mumbled.

"... Right," I looked away, my heart clenching painfully in my chest. I really couldn't control myself today. "I guess I should do that. It must be driving you insane by now that my stuff is everywhere."

"Not as much as I thought it would." Levi said this so quietly that I nearly missed it.  _Nearly,_  but I heard it. "Even though you ended up having half of your room in mine."

"I don't know how that happened." I laughed nervously. "So I can just get my stuff together and head back home." The word  _"home"_  left a bitter taste in my mouth and rolled off of my tongue in an odd way. I knew that I was thinking of a different place to call home, and that my real home wasn't so much of a home to me anymore. I had to stop thinking that way.

"I was thinking..." Levi interjected quietly. He stayed quiet for a moment longer, and I tugged on his hand to get him going again.

"Thinking about what...?" I asked.

"It's pretty late and already getting dark. It'd take you a while to pack up and head home... It would probably be easier if you just stayed one more night. At least then you aren't driving in the dark." He suggested, but his eyes were on the floor. "I mean if your sister is okay with that though. I know she's already got her shotgun ready and waiting for me."

"Oh..." I mumbled and looked at the ground. "I guess I didn't think about that." Of course I didn't think of that, but I was mentally soaring with happiness at the idea of it. One more night was all I hoped for.

"You don't have to stay of course. I just thought it'd be easier for you."

"No, I-I get it." I rubbed the back of my neck as I cleared my throat. "Yeah, if you wouldn't mind me staying for one more night, I can do that." I finally had enough courage to look at him. He was looking up at me, but when our eyes met, he looked back down at the ground.

I saw it though. I saw what he was trying to hide by looking away. He looked hopeful, just as much as I probably felt and was trying to hide, and looking away only confirmed it, but I decided I would play ignorant to it. Someone like Levi wouldn't like it if I tried proving it.

"No, I don't mind at all." He said. I felt Levi's hand move in mine, and I was prepared to let him go. After all, there was no need for acting anymore. However, his hand held onto mine tighter and his fingers laced through mine. I smiled, continuing to hold his hand as we walked through the airport.

One more night, it made me happy, but I was upset at the same time. It was just one more night, and then it'd be all over.

* * *

"I'll be one more night."

 _"Eren, I don't like this."_ Mikasa's worried tone on the other end of the line filled me with guilt.  _"Why can't you just come home already?"_

"It's only one more night, Mikasa. It's already late and I'm not good at driving in the dark; you know that. Levi thought it was a good idea to wait until morning, so that's what I'm going to do." I explained while twisting the blanket in my hand.

 _"But Eren..."_  She trailed off and sighed.

"What's wrong, Mikasa? You can tell me if something is wrong, you know." I said.

 _"I just... Miss you, that's all."_  She mumbled into the phone. I smiled softy and chuckled.

"I miss you too. It's only for tonight, and then I'll be home again." Again, the word  _"home"_  wasn't coming out right. I wasn't sure if it sounded as odd coming out to others as it did to me. If it did, Mikasa didn't mention anything.

_"Okay..."_

"You aren't whining, are you, Mikasa?" I asked with a coy tone, just trying to tease her, but I was hoping it'd make her feel better.

 _"No,"_  She said.

"Pouting then?"

 _"Shut up, Eren."_  She growled and I chuckled a little.

"Listen, how about tomorrow, when I'm home and have my stuff put away, we rent a movie and watch it? We'll stay up late and make ourselves sick on popcorn." I suggested. "How does that sound?"

 _"Good, but I've got my economics test the day after that I'd rather have rest for."_  Mikasa explained.

"If you've been studying for two days straight, you'll be fine. Consider tomorrow a break."

 _"A break. What's a break?"_  Mikasa tried to joke with me on her end. I rolled my eyes at her antics; her joking back meant that she was already feeling better.

"Very funny, Mikasa. I'm going to go to bed. You do the same and get some rest." I told her.

 _"Are you sleeping with the little midget again?"_ I heard the sound of a book closing shut on her end, followed by the rustle of papers and pens. Glad to know she was listening for once.

"Mikasa, come on. No, I'm not sleeping with Levi again. I'm just staying on his couch tonight." I explained and looked down at the couch as I said this.

 _"Why can't you stay in his guest room?"_  She asked.

"I'd rather not stay in the bed where his grandparents slept."

_"Okay, fair enough. I'm going to go to bed, Eren."_

"Alright, Mikasa, sleep well."

 _"I will. Good night, Eren."_ She said softly.

"Good night," I said and hung up. I sighed to myself as I shifted on the cushions of the couch. I pulled the blanket over my shoulders and dropped my head onto the pillow, and damn, even for a couch it was comfortable. I looked around in the dimly lit living room, my eyes widening to take in more of my surroundings. The living room looked a lot bigger in the dark then it did during the day, but maybe that was because it was a big room to begin with, and I was used to sleeping in Levi's room, in Levi's bed, with his arms wrapped around me in a protective embrace.

I sighed again.

I had to stop this. I had to stop thinking this way. This wasn't right, not now and not ever. What happened for the past two weeks was an act, and that was it. I wasn't supposed to actually gain feelings for him, for Levi, for my boss, because that's what he was.

Levi was still my boss. I had to treat him like my boss. I had to treat him with respect, not like my husband whom I had a close relationship to.

I may have learned a lot about Levi in the past two weeks, and I may know more now than anyone, even more than his own grandparents would ever know. This didn't change a thing though. It just meant that Levi was finally ready to get everything off of his chest. He was ready to talk, to get it out in the open, and move on with his life. I just happened to be someone he told it to.

It didn't even matter that he knew a lot about me too. He knew about my abusive father, knew that my mother was dead and that my father was missing. He knew I had an over protective sister and a best friend who was miles away at college right now, and I never got to see him. He knew that I had triggers, knew that I liked to sleep with something on to distract my brain, knew that I ate like a pig despite how picky about food I really was, and knew that I was a rather lazy person who needed someone to kick me in the ass to get up and move. He would know, because he had to do it pretty much every morning to get me up and out of bed.

He knew a lot about me and I knew a lot about him, but in the end, that didn't change a thing no matter how much I wanted it to. We were still bound by legal contracts and jobs, and the only way we wouldn't be that way was if I quit, and fat chance that was happening. I still needed this job, still needed to keep my own family fed, so I couldn't quit, even if I wanted to.

At this point in time, I really wanted to.

I rolled onto my side to face the wall of the couch. I couldn't sleep, not when my mind was racing. I had left my headphones in Levi's room, and I wasn't about to go in there and run the risk of waking him up. I didn't want the television on either. If it was on, I'd be too distracted, and then I'd just end up awake all night watching stupid porn that would be the only thing on. Why couldn't they play cartoons at night?

I shifted again so I was on my back and looking at the ceiling. I knew the real reason I couldn't sleep, but I just didn't want to admit it. I couldn't sleep, because I wasn't in Levi's arms. His body heat wasn't keeping me warm, and his heartbeat and breathing weren't the things distracting me and putting me to sleep. I didn't want to admit it, but somewhere deep down, I already had, and I knew it.

"Eren," I practically jumped out of my skin at the sound of my name being said after having the world around me quiet for so long. I sat up quickly from the couch, looking around for the source of the voice until I came upon Levi standing by the archway, shirtless as usual with his pajama pants on (And I would pretend I wasn't staring at his abs). He was leaning against the wooden frame, arms crossed over his chest. However, I couldn't make out much of the details of his face in the dark. He didn't look happy though. "Sorry, did I wake you up?" He asked.

"N-No, you just scared the crap out of me." I tried playing it off like it was nothing, but my voice shook too much for it not to be nothing. I was reminded of a horror movie where a person's name was called out, they turned around, and then they were dead. Of course that movie came out when I was twelve and scared me shitless, but I digress. "You can't sleep either?" I questioned and fixed the blanket around my hips.

"No," Levi looked to his hand for a moment, playing with his nails before looking back up at me. He waited, and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to say something now or not. I looked at the blanket again, shifting uncomfortably in my spot.

What was I supposed to say? What was he waiting for? What was he hoping to hear? I didn't know, but how could I say that? Levi probably wouldn't like it if I said something akin to that.

"Uhm..." I looked up from the corner of my eyes to look at him. He was still staring, still waiting? Damn it, what was he waiting for?

"Eren," He said, his voice low and somehow sending shivers up and down my spine. What was that for?

"Yes...?" I finally lifted my head to stare at him.

"It's only one more night..." He said softly. I tilted my head a little, hoping for him to elaborate more on his statement. He did. "Why don't we just make it last?"

I didn't need a well thought out and detailed biography to explain that one to me. I may have been a little dense at times, but I knew what he meant.

Just one more night, and then everything would go back to normal. Why don't we just pretend like the world we were living in for two weeks is a reality for just a few more hours? We'd be asleep anyway, so it wouldn't be long, but it was something that was better than nothing.

"Levi..." I said quietly. Levi walked up to the couch and held out his hand for me. I untangled myself from the blanket and took his hand, letting him pull me from the couch. We walked in silence, but I was relieved to be holding his hand again, to be so close, and to get one last chance to sleep in the same bed. At least I would get one more decent night of sleep.

Levi's bedroom door was already open, so I could already see his bed in the dark room. His bed sheets and blankets were practically everywhere, like he had tossed and turned in an attempt to sleep. Something in my heart clenched at that, like he couldn't sleep, because I wasn't there. This is what I hoped for, what I wanted, but I couldn't get my hopes up. All I could do was try to hide my smile, but apparently I didn't do well.

"Shut up," Levi said, but it came out rather breathless like a sigh, like he didn't want to sound (or try to sound) angry.

"I didn't say anything," I said. Levi shook his head a little as he lay down on his side of the bed, and he sat on his knees and watched me as I slowly crawled onto the bed. I felt his eyes on me as I pulled the blankets back to settle in them, but I smoothed them out first from his previous use before pulling them up to my shoulders.

Levi eventually settled beside me leaving the blankets on his lower waist as he lay on his back. I watched him close his eyes, watched him breathe, watched every little thing, and it felt like was trapped. I couldn't look away.

No, that was a lie. I didn't want to look away.

"Hey..." Levi said when he looked at me. His voice made me jump a little, but I was glad some of the silence was destroyed. I couldn't hear his heartbeat from this far away, and my mind was wandering.

"Hi," I mumbled, my voice muffled under the blanket. Maybe it was the dark, but I thought I saw the barest hint of a smile on Levi's lips before he rolled onto his side and held out an arm.

"Come here, idiot." He chastised. I couldn't care for the insult, not that it was much of one after the two years I've spent with him. I squirmed under the blankets and found my way into his arms, my own instantly curling around his chest. I felt his fingers run through my hair, and I sighed, my breath fanning against his collar bone. I closed my eyes, pressing my ear against his chest to hear his heartbeat while he continued threading his fingers through my hair. It was the most relaxing thing I had felt in ages, and I forgot how much I actually appreciated this gentle touch.

I had to savor this moment, of course. It would be over soon.

"That's better," Levi said quietly. I opened my eyes to the rumbles I felt within his chest from talking, and I looked up at him curiously. His dark eyes were already on me, and my heart broke out into a drum choir when I caught his gaze.

"L-Levi..." I stuttered and shivered when one of his hands pressed into my hip.

"Hm...?" He hummed, his eyes still looking into mine.

I wanted to say it. I wanted to say everything:  _I want to stay. I want to stay with you. I don't care about this professional relationship shit anymore, I just want you. If it means I have to quit and find some mediocre job at a fast food place then I'll do it. Please, I don't want to be alone._

_Don't leave me alone. Please let me stay for a little while longer. I want to be here in your arms like this for just a little longer. Is that so much to ask for?_

I couldn't say it though. Even if I did, I knew it wasn't possible. I couldn't be with Levi, more than likely because he didn't feel the same way for me, and even if he did... Even if he did, I knew better. It wasn't like I could quit either. I'd been given a miracle when I got this job, and I couldn't waste it, not for some stupid selfish reasons.

I knew that. That didn't mean it wasn't easy.

I felt a warm hand against my cheek, the same hand that had been sitting on my hips minutes before. I hadn't broken eye contact with him, so it came as a bit of a surprise when his eyes slipped shut. I thought this was his way of finally trying to sleep, but I was given an even bigger surprise.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips into mine with a gentle, slow, and hesitant movement. He was hesitant, but I wasn't sure for what. Was he questioning his own actions, or was he questioning if I would run or not?

I didn't plan on running, and I made it quite clear by moving forward a little and putting pressure into the kiss. It wasn't meant to be passionate or filled with pleasure. In fact, it was just the opposite. It hurt more than any physical pain I had ever felt. It felt like it was turning directly into physical pain, making my heart clench and my lungs ache with desperation.

I wanted him. I wanted him so much that it physically hurt. I didn't want this to end, but I knew it had to. It had to come to an end eventually.

When he pulled back, I thought I was prepared. When he opened his eyes and looked at me, I was proven wrong when I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I didn't bother wiping it away, but I tried keeping it together so I wouldn't cry anymore. Levi's eyes quickly followed the tear, however, and he leaned forward to kiss it away. I lifted my arms to wrap around his neck, my hands clinging to his shoulders, and it took a lot out of me to not dig my nails in his and hold onto him forever.

"You need your rest..." Levi softly whispered against my ear where the tear had disappeared to. "You should go to sleep."

"I don't want to." I practically sobbed. I didn't care how childish I sounded; I didn't want to sleep. If this was the last moment of this life I had, I wanted to be awake for it for every second of it. Work be damned; I'd suffer through an exhausting day if it meant I'd have a little more time left.

"I know, Eren, I know." Levi pulled me close, keeping my head pressed against his shoulder. This way I could listen to his heartbeat, and this way he could hold onto me the way he was now, his arms wrapped around me and keeping me warm and safe. "I don't want to either..." He said this so quietly that, if it wasn't dead silent around us already, I would have missed it.

Or maybe it was me. I felt my eyes growing heavy, sleeping knocking at my doorstep. I wanted to fight every last bit of it that I could, but Levi's arms were warm and secure and knocking me out cold.

I didn't want to sleep, but he wasn't giving me much of a choice, was he?


	22. My Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to put a trigger warning here for everyone for child abuse. :1 Sorry. ^^' I wanted to give you a better feel to Eren's past, and to show you how his nightmares effect the way he's trying to acclimate back into his previous home. So......... Don't hate meh. X'D It's something I feel is really important though to get it. ^^

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter 22:** **  
** **My Nightmares** ****  


* * *

I listened against my will, my ears picking up on the sounds of my parents downstairs. Or maybe they were in their room again. Sometimes they got so loud, it was hard to tell if they were in the basement or right fucking next to me.

"I'm so tired of these calls I keep getting! I'm so tired of hearing all of this shit about you, Grisha!"

I covered my head with my blanket, but it didn't drown out a damn thing.

"Why would you believe what some random stranger tells you compared to what your own husband tells you? You don't trust me enough, is that it?"

"Of course not! Not anymore!"

"Armin..." I whispered under my breath.

"Yeah...?" I was relieved to hear his voice, a soft, timid voice that hadn't even reached puberty despite his seventeenth birthday a few days away. It was relaxing though, like the sounds of rain or a soft piano. It was, by  _far_ , the most relaxing thing that I've heard than the fighting I hear on a daily basis. "If that was your question, then yes, I'm awake." He said, followed by a soft chuckle.

"Are they as loud as I think they are?" I asked and turned to lie on my side to face Armin. He was already facing me, and his blue eyes glowed surprisingly well with the way the street lights were shining on his face through the curtains.

"They are. You shouldn't mind them, Eren." He advised.

"That's easy for you to say. Your parents don't fight like this." I grumbled and looked away.

"I know, but it's also their lives, not yours or mine. Your parents have things to settle, and they're adults. Let them work things out."

"I'm getting so sick of it. My hair is falling out, because of this." I felt tears building up and burning my eyes, and I was glad it was dark. Armin didn't need to see me crying. Armin sighed and scooted closer to me, his arms lifting up to allow me room. I looked at him skeptically before taking the bait and moving in.

I needed a distraction, and his heartbeat was perfect. I never knew why, but the sound of a heartbeat was the most relaxing thing I could get. Armin suggested once that maybe it was because it was a sound akin to a mother's heartbeat, and that's what a baby is most comfortable with in the womb. I thought it was stupid at first, but it did make some sense. However, he then argued why a seventeen year old would ever be attached to a heartbeat; that I couldn't disagree with either.

"Thanks, Armin..." I mumbled against his shirt. The soft vibrations of his laugh in his chest were soothing.

"Of course. I know it's hard, Eren, but I'm here for you, and I always will be." He assured in a quiet voice. My parent's voices seemed to drown out because of this, and I found myself totally relaxed. Had it not been for Armin, I don't know what I would do. Sometimes I thought that it was him all along who kept me alive at times, not my parents.

"I know..." I sighed. I heard the clicking of my bedroom door, and my parents voices came right back into play, but only for a moment. I turned back to see Mikasa stepping into the room and shutting the door behind her, a frown on her face. It may have been the dark, but I thought her eyes looked a little red and swollen. This could have been from waking up or a lack of sleep, but it better not have been because she was crying. If she was, I was going to end this myself.

It was hard to make her cry, and I knew it. Everyone knew it. I had only seen her cry once in my entire nine years since her adoption, and she had gotten a broken arm from falling from a tree branch thirteen feet up, but even then, she only teared up and whimpered. It wasn't really crying.

Of course Mikasa would never let me see her cry either.

"I was hoping you two would be asleep." She whispered while lingering at the door.

"No, come join the party." I offered. She did, but not without locking the bedroom door first. She joined us on the bed, waiting for us to untangle and scoot over some before she could lie down and covered herself in my blankets. This twin sized bed was not made for two people let alone three, but we made it work when I crawled back into Armin's arms.

"Can't sleep either?" Armin asked while cradling my head.

"No, my room is closer to their bitch fits." She said. The term she used got us both snickering, but for fear of being caught awake when we should have been asleep (which is why my parents always fought at night, because they were waiting for is to be asleep), we both covered our mouths and laughed it out into the palms of our hands. When I was able to form a coherent breath, not just some laughing gasp, I lifted my head to look at Armin.

"Hey, Armin, if Mikasa wants to join, could we spend the night at your place tomorrow?" I asked.

"Of course you can, and that's if Mikasa really wants to join us." He added with a smile in her direction. This close I could see the blush forming on his cheeks, and I smiled as I dropped my head.

"From now on, I would like to speak for myself, Eren." Mikasa chastised. "But yes, I would love to." Armin nodded his head, his blush intensifying as he looked down at me. I gave him an all knowing smirk, and he rolled his eyes and scoffed in retaliation.

"Would you keep it shut? Goddamn it, the kids are sleeping!" My mother's voice whispered with anger in the hallway.

"Their rooms are sound proof." My father growled.

"Who does he think he's fooling?" Mikasa asked, bringing on another fit of laughter from Armin and I. I rolled onto my side to look at Mikasa, and she had a small smile on her lips. It made me happy to see her that way, but I knew that she was happy for making our hearts lighter. In retrospect, we each did something for the other to make us all happy, and it was an ironic and rhetorical triangle that we didn't want to break. It made our lives a little easier, what with my over abusive father and angry mother, Armin's parents who were never around, because they were too busy traveling to care about their son and his wants and needs, and Mikasa, whose parents were dead.

We were a bunch of misfits who had some pretty shitty lives, but together, we made it work.

* * *

The bright light of the sun shining in through the curtains hurt my eyes, inevitably waking me up in the process. I groaned and tried rolling over, but someone's body, either Mikasa or Armin's was in the way. I covered my face with my hands before opening my eyes to look around. I had been right about them, but at some point in my sleep, I somehow rolled past them to the edge of the bed, leaving me practically dangling over the side. I had tried rolling over Armin, whose head was tucked into the crook of Mikasa's neck, and she had her arms wrapped around him tightly.

Boy, was he going to be embarrassed when he woke up.

I sighed as I rolled out of bed, a literal roll out of bed to be exact, and fell to the floor with ease and silence.

Silence. It was too quiet right now. It was unsettling, because my parents would still be arguing at this point in the morning. In fact, most of the time Mikasa and I wouldn't get a decent night of sleep because they'd be fighting all night and keeping us up. So why did we fall asleep? Why did we sleep through the night, and why was it so quiet now?

I felt a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach as I stood up and left my room. It was still too quiet, and I looked in my parent's room first to see if they had possibly settled things and were asleep. They weren't even in their room, and it seemed empty.

No, that was wrong. It was empty. The closet was wide open and all of my mother's clothes were gone, and the dresser was much the same way. Some pictures from the nightstand of us were gone, and her jewelry box was picked bone clean. The room was emptier, because my mother's stuff was gone.

Had she finally left?

My stomach did flips. That couldn't have been right. Why would she leave so suddenly, and why hadn't she taken me? She always said that if she left dad, she'd take Mikasa and I with her. She didn't want us, mainly me around my dad, so why did she leave us behind?

I swallowed as a nauseous feeling entered my stomach, and I made my way downstairs to look around. The wooden panels of the floor creaked under my feet, and it made my heart skip beats as I entered the kitchen.

My father was sitting at the dining table, his head hidden in the palms of his hands while it shook back and forth slightly. I swallowed, something telling me not to move another inch. Don't go up to him, don't address him, and go back to my room. Something kept telling me to do that, but this was my father, and he was upset. I had to ask him if he was okay at least.

"... Dad?" I called out quietly and stepped closer. He stopped shaking his head and tilted it to the side, as if acknowledging that I was talking. I stepped closer. "Dad, are you alright?" I asked.

Just as quickly as I had stepped up to him, I was on the ground. The side of my face hurt with the slap of a hand I hadn't expected to come, and I groaned in pain. That groan was quickly drowned out by a leg and foot connecting my stomach. The air was knocked out of me, and it was kicked away three more times.

I didn't think he'd go after me like this. Any time I had ever asked him if was okay, simply showing worry for my father, he always gave me a smile and said he was. What was so different now? Why was I getting beaten for showing my concern?

"Eren!" I heard Mikasa and Armin's frantic cries of fear, but my father wouldn't stop. Armin jumped in to help me, but getting in the crossfire got his own ribs a good kick too. The sound of him gasping and crying in pain was enough to make me move, my old instincts of protecting him from bullies kicking in. I shoved him out of the way before another kick was delivered, but this one was a direct hit to my calf. I honestly thought that my bone snapped and had broken at first, for the pain was excruciating, but it dulled, leaving behind a terrible pain, but not one that was accompanied with a broken bone.

The fighting had stopped. I moved to Armin's aid, because he was having the worst time breathing. He kept coughing, and he was losing more air than he was getting. Getting kicked by a twelve year old with no muscle mass was different from getting kicked by a man in his forties with a lot of muscles. I looked up to find Mikasa defending us, standing in front of us with her arms held out in a defensive position. My father had stopped all together, for he never hit her. Why he never hit her was confusing, even to me, but he never laid a hand on her, not then, and now wasn't any different.

He looked like he was about to though, fist raised in the air and twitching to move forward. It didn't, and he snarled as he stepped back and left the kitchen.

Armin's coughing and gasping for air brought us both back to the situation at hand though. Even though my body was shaking with pain, I leaned forward and placed a hand on his back, rubbing it back and forth and in soothing circles in an attempt to help.

"Take deep breathes, Armin." I instructed softly. He tried, but the damage had been extensive. Mikasa bent down beside us and placed a hand on his chest, the other on his back with mine, and forced him to sit up straight.

"Nothing is broken, right?" She asked. Armin couldn't verbally respond yet, but he shook his head. Mikasa looked over at me, and I did the same. I was used to getting abused, so I was okay most of the time. Armin wasn't though, and he was our main concern. He hadn't been hit like that since I first met the group of bullies who always messed with him. I hadn't been so angry since then either.

It's fine if he beats me. If he goes after Mikasa or Armin, that's where I draw the line.

"Do what Eren said. Just take deep and slow breathes and stay calm." Mikasa said and kept Armin from bending over in pain. He didn't like sitting up straight, but he needed to, and he tried voicing his pain, but all that came out were whimpers. "Eren... Are you okay?" Attention was directed back to me, but only for a moment.

"I'm okay," I said and nodded my head. "I'm used to it by now." I tried to lighten the mood, but the joke wasn't helping any. If anything, it only made the tension worse.

"S-Sorry..." Armin finally sputtered out. "I t-tried to... To help..." He had to stop talking, because tears were building in his eyes, and crying wouldn't help anything in this situation.

"Armin, you shouldn't have done that. It means the world to me that you tried, but he could have fucking killed you." I said and placed a hand on his shoulder. Tears slipped down his cheeks, and the realization of it all finally sunk in.

He could have  _killed_  Armin, and he could have  _killed_  me.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Eren..." I lifted my head off of Armin's head and looked at him. His eyes were red, but they had been for hours now.

"I told you already-"

"Not for that." Armin was never really one for interrupting people or butting in unless it wasn't important, so it was okay to say now that I was surprised.

"What are you apologizing for then?" I asked and leaned forward to see his face better.

"I..." He swallowed, a tear falling down his cheek. "I-I never knew how bad it was... Had I known... I-I'm sorry..." His attempts at staying calm failed, and tears poured down his cheeks from his eyes in a matter of seconds. I pulled him close again, my arms wrapping around his body as he hid his face away in the crook of my neck.

"Stop it, Armin. Don't apologize for that. You've done more for me than you could ever know." I said while beginning a small rocking motion.

"I'm a terrible friend. I've been telling you something wrong this whole time, and I can't imagine how you must hate me for it. I should have known how bad it really was. I-…" I stopped him by suddenly leaning back and forcing his eyes on me.

"Armin, I'm telling you right now that you are my best friend, and you've kept me alive all these years. You've done more for Mikasa and I than you could ever imagine, so don't downgrade yourself like that." Armin's blue eyes had gone wipe, tears still coming from his eyes, though he seemed surprised. "Please, Armin, don't do that. You're my best friend, and I can't stand it when you do that to yourself." Armin looked away, eyes downcast. His crying stopped, but I could still see how red his eyes were in the dark.

"... I'm sorry," He murmured. I smiled light heartedly and rubbed his head.

"I told you to stop apologizing, you big crybaby." I said.

"I'm sorry," He said, but blushed and looked up at me. "Ah, I-I mean sorry! I mean-!" I covered his mouth, and I felt him smile under my hand, relief replacing his once sullen features.

"I think I get it, Armin." I retorted. I released him, and Armin let out a breathless laugh. Tension in the room lessened, and I dropped my head back down onto Armin's head. I felt around in the dark before finding his hand and taking it in mine. I was glad it was his hand. I had done this once before, and it wasn't his hand I grabbed.

To this day I still couldn't apologize enough for making him squeak the way he did. Armin giggling by my side meant that he was remembering the moment as well.

"I'm sorry," I said with a grin.

"You apologize way too much." Armin retorted. I shoved him slightly, but he didn't go far with the wall next to him. Armin laughed, but it wasn't so loud to cover up the sound of my phone vibrating in my pocket. I yanked it out, partially out of annoyance and partially for fear of missing the call before looking at the caller ID. It read my mother's name in bright lights that lit up my face.

"It's my mom," I gaped in surprised as I hit the talk button. Armin leaned in as I began talking. "Hello, mom?"

"Eren, are you okay?" My mother's voice was instantly filled with worry and regret, and I hated the sound of it when her voice was so natural and loving to begin with.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay. Mom, where are you? Why am I not with you?" I asked.  _Why did you leave us behind_  is what I wanted to ask.

"I didn't leave you behind, sweetie. I promise. Eren, so long as your father is there, he won't let me take you and Mikasa out of the house. That's why I called; as soon as he's gone, you let me know. I'll come get you and get you out of there." Her words sent relieving chills down my spine and I sighed in utter relief.

It was almost over.

"Okay, mom..." I said. "I'll let you know..."

"He should have work in a few hours. When he's gone, give it ten minutes or so to make sure he's there. I promise I'll get you out of there, Eren."

"I know, mom, I know." I felt tears building at the corners of my eyes, and I was glad it was so dark. The dark would mask my tears for now. "I can't wait to see you."

"It won't be long." My mother assured. "I'm going to go now, but don't forget to call me."

"I won't, I promise." I nodded my head even though she wouldn't see the gesture.

"Okay. I love you, Eren."

"I love you too, mom." I said. Her line clicked, her call ended, and I hung up my end with a sigh.

"What was that?" Armin asked softy, reminding me that he was there to begin with.

"My mom said she's going to get us out of here. She's going to pick Mikasa and I up when dad isn't here." I explained, and finally a tear slipped down my cheek.

"That's wonderful, Eren!" Armin nearly cheered, but we didn't want to be caught. He barely suppressed his excitement.

"I don't know when that means I'll get to see you again." I added with a frown.

"Eren, your health and safety are more important. We can talk on the computer or something; it's no big deal." Armin said and touched my shoulder. "You'll be safe, and that's all that matters. I'll be happy just knowing that."

There was a knock on the door. Armin and I both froze, hearts racing miles a minute. Was it my father? Had he heard what we were talking about just now? Did he know my mother's plan, because we weren't discrete enough?

"Eren," We both sighed in relief. It was just Mikasa. "You in there?" I pushed my closet door open, wincing at the light from my room.

"Yeah, right here." I responded.

"Was that your mom you were talking to?" She asked and pushed herself into the little cramped space of my closet, though she didn't shut the door. I was kind of glad for that; it was getting hot in here.

"Yeah... She's going to get us out of here, Mikasa. She has a plan." I told her thoughtfully. Mikasa smiled a real, genuine smile for the first time in a long time, and I smiled back.

"That's good..." She tilted her head back against the door and sighed. "I can't wait to leave."

"Neither can I..."

* * *

I had done exactly as my mother asked. Ten minutes after my dad left for work, I called her and told her he was gone. She told me to pack a few clothes and anything like my cell phone and laptop to keep me entertained. I did, and then I waited after hanging up the line.

She never came.

I had fallen asleep against the wall of my room where I had been sitting, and night soon came. Mikasa eventually came and woke me up. I thought it was because mom was there and ready to take us, but she wasn't. Mikasa told me to just get in bed and sleep. She was sure mom would come and get us herself. She also assured that where mom was, was probably far away, and that's why it was taking so long for her to get here, so I had to listen.

It was the only hope I had to cling on to.

I fell asleep, and sure enough it was morning when I woke up next. I kept telling myself that she was far away, that it was taking her awhile, or that her Goddamn car broke down somewhere, but then why didn't she say something? Why didn't she call or say how long it would take last time I talked to her. By now dad had to have been home and this left no opportunity for her to get us. Unless she changed her mind and planned to fight for us, she wouldn't have time until dad left for work again.

Where was she? Why wasn't she here? There was a nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach again, and I felt like I really would vomit. Had it not been for Mikasa laying on the edge of my bed, I probably would have bent over the side and done so, but I held my composure. I needed to figure out what happened to mom, and I needed to do it now before I lost my mind.

I reached over to the bedside table and got my phone off if it's charger. I looked at it, but there were no new messages or missed calls from her. It was ten thirty in the morning, and I had called her at seven twenty eight last night.

She should have been here. She should have gotten us. We should have been long gone by now.

Where was she?

I carefully snuck out of bed, mindful to keep Mikasa sleeping. I knew she was a light sleeper, and I had to be careful not to wake her up. I slipped out of my room quietly and checked my parent's room one more time; still empty and void of my mother with no signs that my dad had been there at all that night. I quietly went downstairs next quietly, my eyes flickering everywhere for signs of life. No one was in the living room or bathroom, but I heard shuffling around in the kitchen.

I was weary. If it was my father, I wasn't in the mood for another beating. Mikasa was still asleep, and I had a feeling she wouldn't get to me as fast this time if that were to happen. Still, I had to look. I had to make sure who it was, make sure it wasn't some burglar, and make sure it was or wasn't my mother, and make sure the house wasn't about to burn down.

I looked past the open archway into the kitchen. My father was there, standing by the sink, his head hung low and hiding his face from me. There was a part of me that was relieved, knowing it wasn't some creep trying to steal our stuff. That was all I needed to know, and I stepped away, ready to leave.

"Eren," I stopped when hearing his voice. I looked back into the room; he hadn't budged an inch.

"... Y-Yes dad...?" I asked softly. That feeling hit me again, a feeling that told me to run. It was worse this time, however. I felt every fiber of me telling me to run, and after last time, I wanted to, but I was frozen. I was frozen in place by the fear in me, and I couldn't move.

"... Your mother," My father began. I swallowed shakily, my finger nails digging into the palms of my hands with fear.

_Run. Run now. Run away before I lose something more important than a broken rib._

"Mom...?" I asked.  _Move damn you. Run._

"Your mother..." My father turned, revealing his body. He was still in his work clothes, which I hadn't noticed before; I was too busy trying to see his face. His face was hidden behind his bangs and long hair, and in his hand was a syringe. I finally stepped back a few inches, but only that far.

"What about mom?" I questioned. My father stepped forward, and I walked backwards again, leaving the kitchen as he did.

"Your mother is-"

My eyes widened. I didn't hear that, right? I hadn't heard that right, had I? No, that had to be wrong. I heard him wrong. I didn't hear that word come out of his mouth with my mother in the same sentence. It was wrong.

"You're wrong," I tried to stay strong, but tears were already leaking from my eyes.

She never came to get us, because she  _couldn't._

She was dead.

"She's dead, Eren." My father said and raised his hands. I felt the backs of my legs hit the wall of our couch, and it didn't occur to me that I could just jump over the fucking thing. I was frozen. I was scared. I couldn't move.

I watched my father lift his arm. I watched his hand make a fist, and just as it came down at me...

I woke up.

 _"Eren!"_  Mikasa's voice was hoarse from crying out my name so much, and my eyes finally snapped open.

It was dark in our room, but the TV on in the background provided enough light for me. I could see Mikasa's face filled with worry and panic, and her warm hand was touching the side of my face. I felt wet, but it took a couple of seconds for things to catch up to me and for me to place what was where.

I had a nightmare, and it was a full memory of my mother's death. Mikasa woke me up just in time. She was sitting over me, her hand on my cheek, and the wet sensation I was feeling was my own sweat and tears on my skin. My whole body was much the same way, and the cold spots for where my blanket wasn't covering didn't make me feel any safer. If anything, it made it worse.

"Eren..." She said softly. I breathed in and let out a shuddering breath, my body shivering with it. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." I admitted weakly. "... Yeah, I'm okay."

"Why are you crying then?" She asked and sat back. I gripped at her hand when I felt her trying to pull it away, and she stayed stagnant after that.

"I had a nightmare..."

"I know that," Mikasa retorted with a small smile. "What was it about?" She asked.

"Mom..." I responded and sat up on my elbows. She finally removed her hand, but only because I let her, and I forced myself up all the way so I could breathe properly.

"... Again?" She mumbled.

"Yeah..." I sighed. Mikasa touched my cheek, but this time it was only a soft brush of finger tips.

"It's okay," She murmured in the most gentle of tones I had ever heard from her. I smiled and nodded my head, taking her hand up in mine so I could hold it again.

"I know," I replied. Mikasa nodded her head a little, and her hand left me again. She stood up from the bed, ready to get back to her own, but I felt a surge of panic I felt three years ago. I grabbed at her arm, stopping her from going anywhere, and she looked back at me with a confused look.

"What's wrong?" She asked me.

"Could you..." I stopped, my mouth feeling dry. Mikasa sat back down on the edge of my bed.

"Could I what? You can tell me." She urged on.

"... C-Could you sleep here with me tonight?" I asked with a stutter. I felt my cheeks heating up with embarrassment, but I couldn't help it. Sleeping in a cold, empty bed alone was not good for me, and I knew that.

"I'm sleeping right there, Eren." She said and motioned with her head to the bed across the room from me.

"I know, but... Please?" Yeah, I was begging. I was begging, because I didn't want to be alone in this bed all by myself, because I couldn't sleep in this bed myself. I had gotten so used to sleeping with someone for the past two weeks, that anything different was just wrong. I couldn't do it, and Mikasa knew that.

Mikasa sighed, a small, empathetic smile on her lips before she motioned with her hand for me to scoot over. I did, a smile spreading my own lips wide. I didn't have to worry about being alone anymore, and that cold spot could be replaced with Mikasa's body heat even though it was a twin sized bed. She dropped her head down onto the pillows beneath us and sighed, stretching her arms above her head. I eventually dropped down too, my head a few inches from her.

"Is this better?" She asked as she readjusted the blankets over us.

"Yeah, much..." I said. Mikasa closed her eyes, and I slowly scooted closer, my hopes of setting my head close enough to hear her heartbeat dashing away when she opened her eyes. She seemed to understand though, and wordlessly she rolled onto her side so I could move closer. "Thanks, Mikasa," I said and placed my head on her chest.

"I know I'm not as flat as Armin, but hopefully I'll do." She retorted. I thought it funny at first, but then I frowned.

I hadn't been thinking about Armin at all. I loved him too, but he wasn't who I was thinking of when I was thinking of comfort.

I was thinking of Levi. I was thinking of his heartbeat, his chest, his smell, his bed, his sheets,  _him._  I've been thinking of him and only him, and I haven't stopped since I came home a week ago.

Mikasa sighed above me.

"You've been different since you got home." She stated quietly, her fingers running through my hair.

"No I haven't..." I countered with.

"Yes you have... Did something happen between you two?" She asked and looked me in the eyes.

"No, of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Because you say his name in your sleep," This was news, even to me. I sat up quickly, my cheeks flushing a heavy shade of red I was sure. I was glad it was dark, but the TV admitted too much light in the room. Mikasa could probably see it.

"I-I do not!" I yipped. "Wait, do I? That doesn't mean anything if I do!"

"You're so defensive." She sighed and closed her eyes. "Get some sleep, Eren."

"Wait, do I?" I shook Mikasa's shoulder, but she groaned and slapped my hand away.

"I'm trying to sleep!" She cried in exasperation. I pouted and rolled my eyes before dropping back down onto the pillow and curling behind Mikasa. She didn't complain, but I grumbled to myself in annoyance for a few minutes. All this earned me was an elbow into my ribs from her. "Go to sleep, Eren." It wasn't only a command, but a warning.

She'd picked that up from my mother somewhere down the road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Psst....... You're going to hate me for the next chapter...... *backs away slowly*


	23. Death is the Final Unknown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... *hides in corner*

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)**

* * *

**Chapter 23:**

**Death is the Final Unknown**

* * *

Another rainy day. I don't think it's rained since Levi's grandparents came to visit. I thought it was kind of a cosmic joke at first, thinking that wherever they went they brought the sun with them, but I couldn't dwell on that thought for long. Hanji came and found me, saying Levi wanted to see me in his office. I groaned audibly, but when I saw the look on her face, I stopped. She seemed troubled.

"Is something wrong, Hanji?" I asked her while standing from my chair.

"I don't know. Levi doesn't seem right." She explained and shook her head, trying to clear it of her plaguing thoughts. "It's probably just me." She readjusted her sullen expression into a more chipper and happy look, to which I appreciated more.

Whenever Hanji looked unhappy, however, bad things seemed to follow it. It didn't matter what it was, it just happened. She talked about a case we lost one time and the coffee machine stopped working. She did it the same day while sitting next to me and Petra's computer suddenly got the blue screen. The others were skeptical, but I was convinced from that day forward that whenever she was upset in some manner, shit would hit the fan instantly.

However, I couldn't get rid of that nagging feeling. She said for me to ignore it, but I simply couldn't. I contemplated the whole thing as I walked to Levi's office. She said he seemed off. Was he sick? Was he hurt? It had been two weeks since I started living back home again, so had something happened to him while I was gone?

I sighed. I had somehow gotten a little protective of Levi, even when I wasn't living with him anymore. I tried not to be that way, but I couldn't help it. It was odd living without the warmth of someone's breath on the back of my neck. His heartbeat, his soft and quiet breathing, and the simple sound of someone shuffling beside me in bed had become a lullaby. As if it had become a habit that I couldn't break, I couldn't sleep well anymore. I know it had been two weeks already, but I missed the comfort and safety I felt being around him.

I sighed again. I had become a real mess. I couldn't lie to myself anymore and say that I didn't want to be around him more, maybe even have him hold me again, yet I tried. I needed to stop this. It was only two weeks. Two weeks and a simple arrangement, that's all it was. I needed to clear my head of this, because he didn't care for me...

The way I cared for him...

I physically stopped in place while walking down the hallway.

Here I go again. I was thinking things that were taboo. I shook my head and tapped my cheek with my hand, punishing myself.

"Stop that, stop that,  _stop that..."_  I mumbled to myself and the wall. "That's not right... He's my boss and I'm his assistant, that's it..." This was something I repeated to myself until I found myself at his office door. It was shut, per the usual, and I knocked on the door by force of habit. I heard his usual "come in" and I did as told.

Levi was sitting on his office couch with his head hanging low and his back slunk over in a hunch. When I entered his room, he lifted his head up slightly and gave me a rather deterred look.

"You called for me?" I asked. Levi nodded his head and motioned for me to take a seat by him on the couch. I did, sitting gingerly by him and crushing my hands together in my lap.

Something was definitely off. First off, Levi didn't slouch the way he was now. He looked as if he was half asleep, and the bags under his eyes didn't help. He looked a little pale, his eyes a little glazed over with sleep and something else that I couldn't make out.

"You look pale..." I noted to him. "Are you sick, Rivaille?" I asked.

I had stopped using his nickname. I knew he said I could say it, but the point of that was to be closer. I was now trying to separate myself from him, so I had to put myself in that relationship of employee again. I didn't like it, but I had no choice.

Levi's eyes fell down into his lap, his fingers barely laced together. I noticed that his hands were trembling too. He must have been sick.

"Eren," His voice cracked and I didn't miss it. He swallowed rather noisily, and I couldn't help but wonder what this was about.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Levi tried lifting his head, but I saw it. His eyes were red and slightly swollen, and I could faintly see the remains of pale tears on his cheeks and chin. He knew he had been caught by me and looked away, hoping he could keep the remainder of his dignity, but I wasn't letting him off that easy. I frowned and sat down on my knees in front of him. This forced him to look at me, and when he did, I could see what I couldn't see before.

I saw the desperation practically filling the dry tears lining his black eyes. He was in pain.

"Levi... What's wrong?" I asked, my tone low and serious as I placed a hand on his knee. Professionalism be damned; if he was sick, fuck it. He needed help, and I would help him. Levi looked away, breaking the intense staring contest we silently held and then swallowed another noisy sound.

"Eren, I..." He stopped and looked away. I noticed that his sentence was cut off, that he wasn't done speaking, but he couldn't continue. I decided to pick it back up for him.

"What's wrong? Please, Levi, tell me what's wrong." I begged to him as seriously as I could and gripped at his hand. Levi's hand felt cold in mine and I cupped it with my other to warm it up, fearing the reason for it. He looked at me from the corner of his eyes, and when our eyes met, he let out a heavy sigh.

"Eren..." He began slowly. "... My grandfather passed away last night." He finally revealed.

I wasn't really sure what emotion struck me first. Was it shock or surprise? It could have been horror or sadness. I wasn't entirely sure. I just knew that my eyes widened, my heart stopped, and it felt like time in the world around me had vanished.

Levi didn't break eye contact with me, not for a millisecond. His hand returned the grasp within mine, but I couldn't feel the sensation. My body was numb and I couldn't even breathe let alone feel something.

Was it true? Was his grandfather really... Dead? Gone from the world and to never speak again. I would never hear his happy voice. I would never see his warm smile. I would never feel that man pat my shoulder in appreciation for something I've done for him or his wife, and his wife... Oh the poor thing.

She's all alone now. Sixty or seventy years married to the same man and in love for so long... And she was alone.

How could this be? Why him? Why did he have to die? His body may have been old, but his spirit was so young. He and his wife practically raised Levi. What could he have done to deserve death? I saw nothing that justified it, nothing at all.

"Eren," Levi's free hand reached up and touched my face, his thumb grazing under my eye. "Why are you crying?" He asked. My eyes widened some more, but it just now dawned on me that I was indeed crying. As soon as that was realized, I fell to pieces.

I dropped my head onto Levi's shoulder and sobbed near borderline hysterical. I cried and sobbed until my throat was raw and I could barely see out of my swollen eyes. The tears that came were thick, fat, and unstopping. I couldn't breathe straight just as much as I couldn't see straight. My chest ached, my head hurt, and my throat was raw.

"Eren, don't cry." Levi murmured and held me close. One hand sat at the nape of my neck and the other was on my lower back, stroking soothing circles in an attempt to make me feel better. "My grandma said that she woke up and he didn't. He died in his sleep, Eren. He didn't feel a thing." He assured in a quiet tone.

"T-That's not the point!" I choked out. Levi was quiet for a moment before sighing and resting his head against mine.

"What's the point then?" He asked. I was crying so hard that I wasn't sure if I heard right, but I thought I heard his voice tremble. Did I hear him wrong? It also raised the question of why he wasn't crying himself. Why wasn't he crying just as hard, if not harder than me?

"He's gone... He's gone, Levi, he's gone..." That was all I could say. I couldn't stop crying. Even if what he said was true, that didn't give me any condolence. His grandfather was gone, and that was it.

"You think I didn't know that?" He bitterly asked. I shook my head, being the only thing I could do. I couldn't answer without sounding like a strangled cat and I didn't want to talk. I didn't want to do anything other than crawl into a hole and die myself. "Stop crying, you brat." Levi grumbled.

I shook my head again and clung onto Levi's back with my hands. My fingers clawed into his jacket, scrunching it up and disheveling it in the back while my face was pressed into his neck. I was sure that my childish tears had practically drenched his iron-pressed, white, and clean shirt, but at this point, I couldn't care. I cried some more until it came to a point where I was choking on nothing. I couldn't breathe right, even when I tried. At this point, Levi had enough.

"Eren," He spoke up and pushed at my shoulders. He pulled back and looked me in the face, his eyes glaring at me in a berating manner and his hands clenching painfully around my arms. "You need to calm down and breathe. If you don't you're going to make yourself sick." He commanded me.

Oh, why did he have to say that? Now I wanted to cry for a whole different reason, and that was because he was showing that he cared in some way for me. This only brought on more tears, but I listened to him. Through my choked sobs of agony I tried doing what he wanted, slowing down my spastic breathing and closing my eyes in hopes of steadying my heart. All while I did this, I could feel Levi's heavy gaze on me. It made it harder to do when he was watching me, but I managed something that was coherent to breathing.

"There you go," Levi touch the side of my cheek as he murmured.

"Levi," Saying his name brought on more tears, but Levi corrected them by wiping them away and pulling my head close to his. He pressed his forehead against mine and closed his eyes, and now I couldn't possibly know what he was thinking.

"Stop crying now. There's no point to it." He mumbled. I wasn't sure what he meant by that, because there was a huge point to my crying. His great grandfather, a man who had lived more than a century, passed away in his sleep. Surely this had to hit him somehow.

"I-I can't," I dropped my head onto his shoulder and hugged him closer to myself, hoping for comfort words couldn't give me. Levi sighed irritably and pulled away, leaving my head hanging with no comfort.

"Eren, are you going to be able to work like this?" He asked me. I didn't have to think about that for even a second. I shook my head, knowing I was truly screwed for the rest of the day, and maybe even the rest of the week. Levi slowly nodded his head, as if agreeing with me. "Alright." Levi stood up from the couch and helped me stand onto my shaking legs.

Levi's hands left my body, but only for a moment before his hand found mine and his fingers laced through mine gently. I rubbed my cheeks, trying to get rid of the mess I had made of myself, but I was sure it didn't help.

"Come on, Eren, let's go home." Levi said and pulled me out of his office. I didn't want to leave work and be a burden to everyone, but home sounded nice right about now.

_Home..._

I had been trying to fight the thoughts of Levi being my real home, but I couldn't anymore. Levi  _was_  home.

Having to go back into the small office area was humiliating with the way I looked, and even more so with Levi holding my hand like I was a child, but I had to get my stuff. I did it quickly, and to my luck, Petra was off getting lunch for Erwin and Aurou couldn't care less for me. I let that be my crutch and left as quickly as I could with Levi. He made sure I was by him all the way and he went so far as to buckle me into his car himself before getting in and driving. We hadn't said anything, but the silence was slightly gratifying.

I had settled myself down by this point, my head falling to the cold glass window and watching the rain pour outside. I could scarcely make out my reflection in the window, and boy, did I look like hell. My eyes were swollen, my nose was red and inflamed from all of the crying, and it pretty much matched the rest of my face. My whole face was red, making me look like I had a terrible fever. I think a fever didn't compare to this feeling though, this sensation of feeling like shit was unsettling.

I used to live like this on a daily basis, and I don't know how I ever did it. I truly hated it.

"Do you want anything to eat before we get home?" Levi spoke up and asked. I lifted my head slightly to look at him, only being able to see his hands clutching the steering wheel and a bit of his face in my position. "Normally I run when shit hits the fan, but there's no way I can today. Not to mention you're still a kid. I thought you might like some junk food instead." He explained.

My eyes scanned outside the car to see a few fast food places near us, but I couldn't really care. Normally, when something bothered me, I ended up eating; it's part of being a teenager, but I didn't want to eat. Food wasn't going to replace what I had lost.

"Eren...?" Levi tilted his head in my direction, provoking an answer.

"... I-I guess..." I even sounded like shit. This shouldn't have come as much of a surprise to me, but it did in the end.

"What do you want then?" He asked. I guess I could have thought about what I wanted to eat (or if I even wanted to eat) a little more before answering, but that decision was already too late. I simply pointed to the nearest fast food place, and Levi nodded before pulling into the drive through. When it came to ordering, Levi did that for me. He probably knew that I wouldn't or couldn't make a decision at this point in time, and I was fine with that. I couldn't after all.

After getting the food, Levi drove straight home. I had my head against the window the whole time, and I dazed in and out of consciousness before Levi touched my hand. His hand was freezing cold compared to mine, and that made me lift my head in surprise. I looked over at him, and then down to his hand that was against mine.

"Sorry," Levi mumbled. "I didn't realize you were sleeping."

"It's okay..." Was that my voice that came out of me? That couldn't have been.

"We're here, come on." Levi said and unbuckled himself. He helped me out of the car, taking the bag of food and drink from me so I could get out before handing it back. We walked into the building, got into the elevator, got out of the elevator, and I thought I was doing really well so far.

However, that was until we got inside.

I hadn't been in his place for two weeks, but the familiar scents, the scents of him and home were overwhelming. I missed it all, and all of it coming back to me hit me hard. As Levi walked through the hall, I lingered behind. My legs gave way to my pain, and I fell to the floor with a heavy thud.

"Eren...!" Levi was quick to be by my side, his hands grabbing at the drink I nearly spilled and pushing it away before he grabbed at my shoulders and forced my head up. "Fuck, Eren, what's wrong?" He asked me. I felt fresh tears spring from my eyes as I looked into his, and I dropped my head onto his.

"Levi..." I breathed out before sobbing into his shoulder. Levi stayed still for a moment, and I was afraid that I had upset him somehow, but that was until he sighed and wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug.

"Don't scare me like that, you brat." He said against the side of my head.

"S-Sorry..." I sputtered against his thoroughly stained jacket. Levi stood, holding his hand out to me, and I took it and was helped to my unsteady feet. The drink was ignored as he led me to the living room, and I sat next to him on the couch. He set the bag of food down for me on the coffee table before leaning back against the couch and taking me with him.

I dropped my head down against his shoulder with a sigh, my tears slowly subsiding. I curled my fingers into Levi's shirt, and his arms wrapped around me. I felt safe and secure in his arms; if only it didn't meant the loss of a family member to get it.

"Thank you, Levi..." I murmured against his neck.

"Mhm," He hummed and rubbed the back of my head. "Thank you too."

"Why are you thanking me?" I asked and lifted my head to look at him.

"Just because..." I had a feeling I wasn't going to get an answer better than that. I simply took it for what it was and laid my head back down on his shoulder.

"I guess you're welcome then." I mumbled. Levi chuckled quietly before grabbing the remote beside us and turning the TV on. I wanted to whine and ask for cartoons, but I wasn't about to go against him. This was his place after all, not mine.

If only he didn't put the news on. I'd didn't need to hear about any recent bombings or financial drop in the economy. I needed something mind numbing... Well, I guess this was it.

I fell asleep in minutes. The mindless dribble of news was like high school all over again, something I never wanted to repeat, and my eyes were down and I was out cold in record time.

I woke up a little later. It must have been a few hours, because it was dark now. The TV was still on, but I was pulled from my sleep long enough to recognize that Levi was laying me down on the couch, throwing a blanket over me, and leaving the room. I was so tired that I stayed in an odd state for a while, a state where one was half awake and asleep at the same time. It wasn't anything new to me. It reminded me of when I was in school and trying my hardest to stay awake. My head would bob up and down as I tried to remain cognizant, but it wouldn't work until the teacher woke me up or the bell did.

That's how I felt right now.

The only thing that clicked me fully back to reality was the sound of the remote dropping off of the couch. My head shot up with surprise, but when I realized what it was, I sighed. I lowered my head again, but it was too late. I was awake, and I had a feeling I would be for a while. It was one of those times as well where I would be up until around seven in the morning when I needed to be awake, and then I'd just pass out again. I hated those times.

However, I decided to go with it. I distracted myself with entertaining thoughts of where Levi was. I vaguely remembered him laying me down and putting the blanket over me, but that could have been from minutes to hours ago. Lord only knows how long it had been.

Maybe Levi had gone back to bed himself. Maybe he simply went to get something to eat. There was only one way to find out.

I sat up from the couch, tugging the blanket with me as I started walking through the halls. It was a little chilly, and my body was aching for Levi's body heat. If he had gone to sleep in his own bed, I hoped he wouldn't mind me trying to sleep next to him. I didn't want to be alone though, and I didn't understand why he would.

So the first place I checked was his room. No luck; he wasn't there. His bed hadn't even been touched since this morning... Or yesterday morning... I had no idea how late or early it was.

I then checked the kitchen, dining room, and guest room. He wasn't there either, making me question his whereabouts. He hadn't left the apartment, had he? Maybe he had gone out to do something? There was only one last place to check, and that was the bathrooms. If he went to one, it was probably the one connected to his room, which is where I probably should have checked beforehand. I was tired though; could you blame me for not thinking straight?

I went back to Levi's room, the blanket trailing behind me while I went to the bathroom. The door was cracked open and the light was on, leading me to believe that he was in there. I knew that I should have left him alone to his own personal business, but something was telling me not to.

There was that feeling again. There was that odd sensation in me, but it wasn't telling me to run. It was telling me to look inside. The fear was there though. I didn't want to look. What was behind that door that was giving me such a terrible feeling?

I dropped the blanket and swallowed before slowly pushing the door open.

The first thing I saw was nothing but bright light; the lights in the bathroom were ungodly bright. When my eyes were able to readjust to the light, I looked down.

Levi was on the floor, his knees pulled up to his chest and his face hiding behind them...

My eyes then slowly traveled to the empty pill bottle by his feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said you were going to hate me. You're going to hate me for the next one too... *slowly backs away*


	24. If Something Happens to You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're going to hate me for this one too! But I promise, after this chapter, all of the sad shit is done~

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)**

* * *

**Chapter 24:** **  
** **If Something Happens to You** ****  


* * *

I've never felt a scream tear through me as loud as this one had before. I've never felt like the world had stopped moving while I was moving at the speed of light. I had never experienced such terror, not even when my own father beat me.

I had  _never_  felt like this.

 _"No...!"_  I dropped to my knees and forced Levi into my arms, his body limp for a moment before I had startled him. He squirmed weakly in within my grasp, but I held firm.

I wasn't letting go.

"E-Eren what-"

"Fuck, Levi, don't do this!" I stopped him before he could continue. I pulled back to look at him, to see if he was disoriented or sick. I had to make sure he was conscious enough to talk.

"Do what? Eren just-"

"I'll get you to the hospital! We'll get you there and we'll get you help! Just please don't do this!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Levi growled and shoved me away. My butt hit the cold tile floor hard, and I tried getting up to pull him back into my arms, back to safety and where I could take care of him, but Levi pushed me away again and sat up against the edge of the bathtub.

"You can't do this, Levi! I know he's dead, but your great grandfather wouldn't want you to kill yourself like this! A-And if you did this, you'd be leaving your great grandmother all alone! You can't do that to her!" I cried. I felt my voice go hoarse from the pain of screaming and crying so much, but I couldn't stop.

How could I when I was so scared?

"I'll reiterate, and I want a proper answer! What the fuck are you talking about?" Levi asked and shoved me back once more when I tried to get him back into my arms. With anger, I grabbed at the pill bottle that had been by his feet and practically tossed it at him. He barely caught it with his visibly shaking hands, but he didn't even get the chance to look at it before I was yelling again.

"This is what I'm talking about!" I screeched, and Levi's grey eyes widened slightly. "Damn it, if you don't go to the hospital willingly, I'll call the cops and have them take you myself! I won't let you do this to yourself!" Levi stared at the pill bottle blankly for a few moments, completely quiet and still. For a fraction of a second I thought that the pills were already taking their effect on him, making him fade out and lose consciousness, but after a few more silent seconds, Levi audibly sighed with annoyance lacing his tone.

"You stupid fucking brat... Do you think I'm actually that fucking stupid?" He suddenly snapped at me. I sat back at the insult, my heart clenching within my chest. It wasn't like he hadn't called me names before within the past two years that I had known him, but this time he sounded like he meant it. "I'm upset, yeah, but not suicidal! I came in here to get medicine for my fucking headache that I've had since four in the morning, but the bottle was already empty!"

"Don't lie to me, Levi!" I warned him with a wavering voice.

"I'm not lying! I'm not some shit-faced teenager who does that shit anymore! Besides, even if I did that shit, why would I do it with you here? Why would I make you worry like that?" He tossed the pill bottle back at me, and it whacked the side of my shoulder before I pathetically caught it. I looked at the little container, my eyes reading the fine print of the bottle with a blank stare similar to his. I looked back up at him, a tear finally slipping from my eye when I did.

Levi sighed, the anger he felt dissipating into thin air. Now he just seemed annoyed, which was normal, which I was happy to see. This meant that he really was okay, and I was more relieved than anything to know that.

"Eren, I'm okay. You can stop your worrying now, because there's nothing to worry about." He assured in a soft tone. I set the pill bottle down beside me, making an attempt to relax my frayed nerves. I let out a sound, something between a whimper and a sigh leaving my lips and prompting Levi to move forward. He touched my cheek and wiped the tear that was still there. I smiled softy.

"Thank you," I whispered when I looked into his eyes. Levi nodded his head and sat back.

"Thank you for caring about me..." He said. My lips spread wider, but I was still too jumpy to smile a genuine smile. "Come on, Eren. Let's go back to bed." He suggested. I nodded, the idea of real sleep sounding nice.

"Will you be okay?" I asked, my voice obviously shaking in a way that made me feel pathetic.

"Of course; I told you that I didn't take anything." Levi said as he pulled me back into the bedroom, nearly tripping over the blanket I had dropped earlier. He untangled the spread and began lying it down on the bed that still hadn't been touched.

"I-If your headache is that bad, I can go get you something." I insisted as I stepped closer.

"No," Levi stopped his task of making the bed and looked over his shoulder at me. It could have been paranoia or my lack of proper sleep (I hadn't slept right since before his grandparents left), but he sounded kind of annoyed. I hadn't done or said anything to upset him, had I?

"Are you sure? It wouldn't be any trouble if I did."

"I'm sure," Levi's voice got deeper as he pulled back the covers he had just lay down and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Levi," I said softly.

"What is it?" Levi was looking at the ground, and he wouldn't, or maybe  _couldn't_ , look up at me. I sat down on the edge of the bed next to him, my eyes hoping to catch his stare, but he wouldn't look up, not even when I touched the back of his hand.

"Did I... Did I do or say something wrong?" I hesitantly asked. There was something that told me not to, and I probably should have listened to that something, but I didn't want Levi suffering.

"Of course not," He said and abruptly pulled his hand away. He stood up, as if he was going to leave the room, but I grabbed at his wrist and held firm.

"Obviously I have, or you would have looked at me by now." Levi finally looked over his shoulder at me, but his eyes glared daggers at my hand that wouldn't let go. He still hadn't met my eyes. "You can't just do that, Levi. I'm trying to help you, but I can't do that without knowing what it is I'm supposed to do."

"There's nothing you can do, Eren. Now would you mind letting me go-?"

"Levi," I stopped him and pulled at his arm to get him close again. "I just want to help you."

"Eren, stop." He said it so sternly that it actually spooked me a little, or maybe that was him yanking his arm from my grasp.

"Levi-"

"It's not what you've done, so stop it."

"Well obviously it is, or you wouldn't be so upset." I repeated and stood to stand up against him.

"It is, but-"

"So if it is then why are you saying it's not?" I asked.

"Stop fucking interrupting me!" Levi yelled at me and pushed at my shoulders. I stumbled backwards, but I caught my footing quickly and stood tall. I knew Levi had figured out his actions half way through them when he pushed me, and that's why I wasn't flat on my ass when it happened. He easily could have knocked me to the ground, but he didn't, because he was afraid for my own sanity. However, I couldn't even be upset by the fact that he pushed me.

I was tired of being abused, whether it was verbally or physically, and I wasn't letting someone as important as Levi do it too.

"Then tell me what the hell is wrong!" I shoved him back as well, but with more force. Of course someone like Levi wouldn't fall easily, and my forceful shove only knocked some air out of him, and he barely needed to catch his footing, but it did well to piss him off.

"Why can't you just drop this?" Levi questioned with anger. "Why can't you just leave this alone and pretend that I'm fine?"

"You aren't fine! I can't stand by and know you're hurting on the inside!"

"The rest of the world has done it for years! Why are you any different?" Another shove, but I was more braced for it this time, which was a good thing. That push had a lot more force behind it. I was prepared though, and I grabbed at his hands and pushed them away.

"Because I care about you! I bother to give a shit about some inconsiderate asshole like you!" I felt my throat ache from all of the yelling, but I wasn't done yet. I wasn't done until I got my point across, whatever my point was.

"So you act like this around your sister or around that little blond friend of yours when they're hurt? Who else do you do this for? Would you act like this if my grandmother got hurt?"

"If something happens to your grandmother, that's  _bad._  If something happens to you-!" I stopped.

It felt like the tension in the room suddenly diminished into nothing. It had gone absolutely silent except for us. I was panting from all of the yelling, and my head now hurt with the worst headache I think I had ever had. I had my hands clenched so tightly into fists that my nails were digging into my palms and my muscles ached from the tension. Levi seemed to be in the same condition as me, though he seemed somewhat surprised. At least that's what it looked like from my perspective; his eyes had never been so wide before.

"Eren..." His voice was quiet, but a little scratchy; I understood why. I looked down at the floor, to my feet and legs that seemed to be shaking. Now that I thought about it, my whole body was shaking. "Eren," He said again. I looked up without moving my head, and Levi still looked as surprised as before.

"If something happens to you..." I attempted again, but it came out as a mumble. I couldn't continue, not like this. I didn't want to think about what would happen if something happened to Levi. If something happened to him, I don't know what I would do. Would I cry, or would I simply go numb again like I did for my mother's death?

Why was I even considering it? I didn't want to think about it, not now or ever. I never wanted to see Levi hurt, and if I did...

"If... If something happens..." I felt tears burning the backs of my eyes and my stomach twisting into knots. I lifted my hands and placed them on Levi's chest, hoping for something, anything really. I didn't know exactly what it was I was hoping for, but it was something important.

Soon enough, I got what I asked for.

Levi's hand lifted and touched my cheek. I kept my eyes down, but I felt the pressure of his hand forcing me to lift my head. I did, and I was met with the most emotion in Levi's eyes I had ever seen. I couldn't figure out what it was though, because his eyes closed, and all too soon his lips were on mine.

I didn't hesitate, not even for a second. I wrapped my arms around his waist, tugging him close and pulling a small grunt from him as I kissed back. A muffled whimper escaped me as I pushed forward, and Levi's other arm moved around my shoulder, his arms locking around me. I really didn't have any complaints about that.

I felt a small tug on my hair. It wasn't painful; it was meant to get me closer, and I did. My hands tightened around Levi, and sometimes I wondered how I didn't break him. He was so much smaller than me, so much thinner despite his muscles, and I worried how I didn't snap him in half. He didn't seem to be in pain though; if anything, he seemed to enjoy it.

Another tug to my hair, but this time it was accompanied with Levi pulling me backwards. I followed, not bothering to break the kiss for a second. Levi did though, and it was so I could fall backwards onto the bed. I gasped, my eyes looking up to silently question him. His answer was easy enough though; even someone like  _me_  should have gotten it.

Levi climbed onto the bed, his knees bracketing my hips and waist. I held my arms open for him, and he was back in them quickly and pulling me in for another kiss. The moment he was back in my arms, I felt like safety and security were there all over again. I felt happy, so happy that more tears fell from my eyes. Levi saw them and sat back long enough to wipe them away. I smiled softly and leaned forward for another kiss. I wasn't disappointed.

I had almost forgotten how soft and warm Levi's lips really were, even despite all of the language that comes out of his mouth. They were insistent, nonstop, and tedious as he forced my mouth open. I felt his tongue trace my bottom lip, and I groaned as mine darted out to meet his.

I never thought someone like Levi could communicate so much into a kiss. I knew that the kiss was passionate, but there was so much more, so much that I felt like I was choking. He cared, didn't he? He really cared. He wouldn't be doing this if he didn't, but I couldn't be sure.

I didn't dwindle on the thought for long. I felt my lungs aching for air, and I had no choice but to pull away to breathe. I gasped lightly, watching as Levi sat back for a moment. That moment was fleeting; his chest was soon against mine, and I felt the thrumming of his heart against my body.

"Levi," I sighed breathlessly. Levi's hands cupped my cheeks, and his lips were on me, as if he were trying to suck my energy away while our tongues danced. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders again, my nails digging into the seams of his suit jacket. I yanked at the hem of his jacket, trying to pull it off one arm, which proved to be more difficult than it needed to be in this position. I wanted it off though. I needed to feel his skin against mine, and I needed it now before I felt like I would die from anticipation.

Levi's arm finally slipped free from the offending material, and the rest fell right into place. It all came off, and my fingers were grabbing at the buttons of his shirt to get it off. I managed with the first few before my hands were already pushing the material away, my nails scratching at what I could of his chest.

"Eren..." Levi groaned against my lips. I practically keened to the sound of it; I would do absolutely anything if it meant getting him to say my name like that again. Maybe I had really become desperate for him, but I wasn't afraid of that. I was tired of playing this game, if that's what it even was anymore. I wanted him, and I was tired of lying to myself when I knew I wanted him.

I forced my lips off of his, but only so I could go for his neck. I sucked just below his ear, and the most subtle of moans left him, followed by his body rolling against mine and creating friction to our connected hips.

That I moaned to.

"E-Eren," Levi rasped against my ear. I lightly scratched my nails down the nape of his neck, and Levi gasped at the sensation. I finally released the spot I had been sucking on, seeing the dark bruise I had created in the dim light of the room. I moved to his earlobe next and sucked, and Levi's hands tightened around me. "F-Fuck, Eren stop," Levi said and suddenly sat up.

I watched with flushed cheeks and an open mouth as Levi moved to the edge of the bed and leaned over it. He was panting, his body shaking, but it was barely noticeable. I sat up as he began buttoning up his shirt, his eyes downcast and away from mine.

"Levi...?" I questioned as I moved over to his side. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry," Levi said with the barest hint of a tremble in his voice. "S-Sorry, but... We need to stop."

"... I'm really confused, Levi." I said.

"Why...?" Levi asked and stood up. I watched him pace for a moment, hoping to figure out what it was that was making him act like this.

"I-I don't understand what's going on. One minute you're yelling and the next..." I felt my cheeks heat up slightly at the thought of what was happening mere seconds ago. "It's like you're giving out mixed signals. I don't know what you want from me anymore."

"Damn it," Levi growled and stopped pacing.

"Alright," I said and stood up. "I'm going home."

"No, Eren, don't go." Levi said and grabbed my arm.

"This is exactly what I mean!" I hissed. "You act like you want me and then you don't!"

"I  _do_ want you, Eren!" Levi grabbed my other arm and pulled me close. "I want you more than you could ever know, but..."

"But what? What's stopping you?" I tried stepping back, but Levi had a firm grip on me that wouldn't give an inch. "Is there someone else or something?" I accused.

"Of course not!" He exclaimed. He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

"Please tell me, Levi. I want to be with you, but..."

What if it was someone else? What if he loved another person? What if he still had feelings for Petra? Of course I was jealous, and it would hurt if that was the truth.

"Eren..." Levi's grip loosened, his hands sliding down my arms until his hands were holding mine. "I do want you, but... My great grandfather just died..." I tilted my head, hoping he'd explain more after his momentary pause.

"What does your grandfather have to do with this?" I asked, hoping for a response.

"We're both upset. We're mourning, and I know how that works. We're both looking for comfort, and we just happen to be right here..." He looked away, as if looking for the right words, but I knew what he meant. I wasn't  _that_  dense.

"Levi, I'm upset, but that has nothing to do with my feelings for you." I said sternly; I wanted to get my point across. "Why would you think it did? Unless  _you_  feel that way..."

"Eren, I told you already that I want you, but you never know. If we did this, and we woke up in the morning feeling different, then-"

"I wouldn't feel different!" I interrupted.

"You never know, Eren. Maybe  _I'll_  feel different. I don't think I will, but I never know." Levi sighed, and I pressed a hand into his cheek. Levi finally looked into my eyes, and I saw the confusion written in his expression.

"You aren't sure how you feel?" I asked.

"No, Eren, that's not it." He smiled in a bitter way. "I just... I want to wait for a while."

"How long is a while?" Even though I was upset about what he was saying, I was also happy. He _did_  want me. He cared for me; he finally admitted it, and so did I.

"However long it takes for us to heal." Levi said and shrugged his shoulders. He looked away with another bitter smile that was accompanied with an equally bitter laugh, but I tugged on his arm and made him look back up at me. My fingers caressed the prominent bone of his cheek as Levi continued. "Hell, we could wake up tomorrow and be fine. I just don't want to jump into this." Levi's hands tightened around mine slightly.

"It's just... If you were to wake up tomorrow and leave..." Levi sighed. "I can't lose anyone else, Eren. I don't know what I would do if I lost you too..."

I should have probably been empathetic to this, but I couldn't help but smile. It didn't go unnoticed, however, and Levi frowned.

"What the fuck are you smiling for?"

Ah, classical Levi was back. It was confirmed that my heart was now soaring.

"I'm surprised that you would think that." I said. I pressed my forehead into his, and Levi's eyes closed in what could only be considered content. "What would make you think I'd ever leave in the first place?"

"I don't know..." Levi said with a sigh. I chuckled before kissing his lips, but I had no intent of starting anything.

Levi wanted to wait, and I'd respect that. This just meant that he did care, and I was fine with waiting for as long as it took.

So long as I could be with him, I was happy.

* * *

If I were to list all of the mornings that I woke up in a relatively good mood, this would definitely be at the top of my list. Who wouldn't wake up in a good mood when you were being showered with light and soft kisses against your cheeks, neck, and just about anywhere else his lips could reach at this moment?

I practically giggled like a school girl on a sugar high as I rolled onto my back. I playfully slapped at the arm Levi had around my waist, and I thought I heard Levi laugh a little. I think that was just me being tired and groggy, however.

"Good morning," I said and stifled a yawn.

"Your breath stinks, Jaeger," Levi replied, but he had a humorous undertone that made it a joke. Of course I knew that my morning breath was bad; it wasn't like that was anything knew.

"You're in a good mood," I pointed out and poked at his bare chest.

"For once I think I can agree with you," Levi said and pressed another kiss to my forehead. I knew that I must have been blushing the color equivalent to a tomato, but I couldn't really bring myself to care. "And you are too," He mumbled against my skin.

"I am," I agreed. Levi leaned back, and I caught his gaze on me. I smiled before reaching up to wrap my arms around his shoulders and yank him down for a kiss. It was such a sweet kiss that I felt my body shivering, and goose bumps remained on my skin when Levi pulled away and ran his fingers through my bangs. "Can I be honest about something?" I asked.

"Depends on the something," Levi said and shrugged.

"You smiling so much is a little unnerving." I admitted with a sheepish grin.

"Well  _excuse me_. I guess it's a crime to be happy for once in my life." He said and rolled his eyes.

"It's a crime when you're so sexy. You've got a nice smile." I tilted my head to the side a little, hoping to get my motives across clearly. Levi rolled his eyes once again with an amused smirk.

"You're horny," He stated flatly.

"Can you really blame me?"

"No, not really, and I can't say any different, because I know a good thing when I see it." Levi said and finally sat up. He looked down at me and my bare chest with such an alluring gaze, and I felt my skin crawl with desire again. "This is definitely a good thing."

"S-Shut up," I looked away and muttered. Levi chuckled within his throat before pulling the blankets back and sitting up.

"I'm going to the bathroom." He announced. I watched him walk, and I could have sworn that he had a little extra swing to his hips. He wouldn't be doing that on purpose, would he?

"Are you hungry, Levi?" I called out to him. "I can make breakfast!"

"You can't cook," Levi stuck his head out the bathroom door and said.

"I can make toast and scrambled eggs. Besides, I got a lot of pointers from your grandmother. I'm pretty sure I can challenge her now." I winked at Levi as I stood to grab my shirt, and Levi rolled his eyes.

"Let's be honest, Eren. Even if you were the best cook, no one can challenge her. She'll win every time."

"Okay, you've got a point." I muttered before pacing myself to the kitchen. I hummed quietly to myself, content without a care in the world as I pulled out the things that I would need for breakfast. As I got myself together, my phone began vibrating in my pocket. I sighed to myself as I pulled my phone out, but my blood ran cold when the name tag showed who it was.

 _"Fuck,"_  I cursed to myself. I hit the little green button and pulled my phone up to my ear. "... Hello?"

 _"Eren...!"_  I winced at how loud Mikasa's voice was so early in the morning.  _"Damn it, I've been trying to reach you since yesterday! Where in the hell have you been? I called work an hour after you were supposed to be home to find out that you left work with that short shit three hours early, and no one knew where you were! Why didn't you call me Eren? Why didn't you bother to tell me where you were-?"_

"Mikasa, calm down!" I said over her voice.

_"No, I'm not going to calm down! Ever since you've started this "performance" with Levi, you've been completely forgetful of things here at home!"_

"I-I know, but-"

_"And you don't even give me a reason! You don't even tell me where you are or what you're doing! You could at least tell me you're safe! Is that too much to ask for?"_

"Mikasa, I'm sorry." I apologized. "I promise that I have a very good excuse for last night though."

 _"What, Eren? You better have a damn good excuse."_  Mikasa growled. I turned around, looking over my shoulder to make sure Levi wasn't in the room. _"Eren...?"_

"... Levi's grandfather passed away yesterday." I said quietly into the receiver. It fell quiet on Mikasa's side, and I felt like I had finally gotten through to her.

 _"... Oh_. _"_ Mikasa mumbled after a silent minute passed.  _"Oh... I'm sorry... I didn't know..."_

"It's okay... I need to apologize too; I really should have told you where I was."

_"I shouldn't have yelled... I'm really sorry."_

"It's okay," I said and sighed. "We left early to come here to his place, and I passed out on his couch. I just woke up." I explained, looking over my shoulder again to make sure Levi still wasn't in the room.

 _"I'm sorry, Eren... I know you really liked his grandfather."_  Her words stung, and I felt tears burning my vision. I wouldn't cry, not now at least. However, if she continued to be so worrying, I didn't know what I would do. I probably would cry on her.

"... Wherever he is, it sure is better than this world." I attempted to lighten the mood, but it didn't help me any. "It was... Just a big shock…"

 _"... How is Levi doing?"_  Her question caught me off guard, but I assumed this was her way of trying to play nice. _"How is he holding up?"_

"He's okay... Probably doing better than I am." I rubbed the back of my neck with a nervous laugh, but Mikasa sighed on her end.

_"Do you two need anything? I can bring something over if you need it."_

"No, we're okay. I was just about to make breakfast actually. Do you... Want to come over for it?" I asked hesitantly. I wasn't sure how Levi would feel about that, but I didn't want Mikasa worrying anymore.

_"No, but thank you. I've got an early class today, remember?"_

"Oh, right..." I mumbled.

 _"I have to get going for that now actually. Are you sure you don't need anything?"_  She asked.

"No, we're good. Thank you though, Mikasa." I said.

_"Mhm... Bye, Eren."_

"See you soon." I said and hung up. I sighed when I was finally free from her.

One of these days she was going to kill Levi and what would that leave me with? I was going to have to tell her about us at some point, and she wasn't going to be happy with me. Maybe then she really would kill Levi. That wasn't going to be a fun day at all.

I wondered how long I could keep our relationship a secret from her; probably not long. Mikasa had keen instincts, and it wasn't like I'd want to be away from Levi all the time. Now that I had him, I wanted to spend my time with him. I wanted to stay over more often and get the chance to sleep in his arms like last night or the nights before. I wanted to be able to kiss him, whether in private or in public.

Would Levi try keeping our relationship a secret at work? I didn't necessarily like that idea. In a creepy protective kind of way, I wanted everyone to know that he was mine now. I wanted them to know that Levi and I were together, and I didn't want to hide anything from my friends. I was sure Hanji would be delighted, and Aurou would probably bite his tongue in mere shock. Erwin... No one knew what Erwin was thinking to begin with. He was leagues ahead of all of us.

What about Petra? After all, she was Levi's wife two years ago. They broke up just before I got there, and it was a bit of a shock to me to hear it. I didn't know much about the world Levi worked in at the time, because I was still so new, but now I did.

Was it really that easy to break off a marriage? I never thought it was, but Levi and Petra both said that it was mutual, and they didn't have kids, which made it a lot less work. Petra had said once that, because of their job, they both got paranoid about each other. Levi had said that too, but not as kindly, and he, surprisingly enough, went into more detail about their break up than Petra did. Maybe it still upset her to talk about it. I wouldn't blame her for it if that was the case. If I were to lose Levi, I don't think I'd be happy about it either, even if it was mutual.

We wouldn't become paranoid with each other, would we? No, we wouldn't. We  _couldn't._  I really liked Levi, and I wanted to spend more time with him. I think I was even falling in love with him, but it was too early to tell. All I knew was that I had never felt this way about someone before.

I knew I loved Mikasa and Armin, but it wasn't the same kind of feeling I had for Levi. They didn't give me the same feelings he gave me. I knew I had feelings for Levi; it was obvious and I wasn't going to try and hide it, but I didn't want to lose those. I didn't want to end up hating Levi.

If what happened between Levi and Petra was possible, did that mean it could happen to us as well?

"Eren..." Levi's voice was right by my ear, followed by his arms wrapping around my waist. I practically jumped out of my skin, and Levi chuckled deep in throat in that way only Levi could pull off. "Did I spook you?" He asked.

"Mhm..." I hummed and looked down.

"You looked kind of out of it. Is something wrong?" He asked, his hands moving to sit on my hips. I stepped away, his hands falling when out of my reach. "Eren...?" He questioned. He tried touching my hand, but I pulled it away before he could.

"I'm sorry, but... I-I think I have to leave." I stuttered, and the words nearly tangled in a terrible knot in my throat. It was hard to swallow, hard to breathe, and I couldn't look up. I felt tears burning my eyes, and I knew that if I looked up, Levi would see. I couldn't let him see me cry.

"Leave...? What do you-" I was suddenly moving before he could even finish his sentence. "H-Hey, Eren...!" He called after me. I was already in the hallway by the time he grabbed at my wrist and pulled me back, but I yanked it free from him. It wouldn't be an understatement I say that he was surprised.

"Sorry," I muttered and grabbed my shoes.

"Why are you suddenly leaving? Did something happen at home?" He asked as he watched me.

"No, I just have to go." I explained and yanked my other shoe on without even bothering to try and untie the laces first.

"Wait, did I do something wrong? Was it something I did?"

"No, of course not…"

"Eren, if I did something wrong then tell me. I want to work this out-"

"It wasn't you, Levi! It's me! I-..." I paused. "... I-I just have to go." I stood up, but Levi grabbed at my arms and held me still. He finally caught my gaze, and I saw the most desperation I had ever seen in Levi's eyes before.

"Eren please, don't go. I don't want you to go." Fuck him and his begging. He was actually begging me, and I lost it. Tears slipped down my cheeks, and I pulled free from his grasp and booked it. I left the apartment, forgetting about my backpack and dignity as I ran down the halls. I didn't stop, not even when Levi called after me; I only stopped when I was in the elevator.

As soon as the doors were closed and I was alone, I fell to the floor, back against the wall as I heaved in shuddering cries of pain.

_"I do want you. I want you more than you could ever know..."_

_"I don't know what I would do if I lost you too."_

_"Eren please, don't go. I don't want you to go."_

His voice was in my head. It's like his words were on replay, like a broken record player, and I couldn't handle it. I covered my ears, but that didn't do anything but make it worse.

I didn't really know what I was thinking. I wanted to keep Levi and I in a relationship, whether it was a friendship or not, but leaving nearly killed me. I left, and I couldn't imagine what Levi was dealing with now.

_"I don't know what I would do if I lost you too..."_

Levi had lost so much in his life, and I just added onto that list and made it worse.

What had I done?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I again find it very funny that you people would think I would ever kill off Levi. I mean really? Psh, the SNK fans would kill me... Quite literally.


	25. Enough with Professionalism

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? No more bad things. Misty makes eeeeeverythiiiing beeeeeterrr......  
> I'm tired. I need sleep. XD

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)**

* * *

**Chapter 25:**

**Enough with Professionalism** **  
**

* * *

"What's wrong, Eren?" I lifted my head to the sound of that sweet voice I had grown to know and love. Petra was peeking her head over the divider to our offices, her brows furrowed with concern under her bangs. I felt bad for making her worry, but she was just too adorable with that look on her face. "You've looked sick for a few days now. Are you sick?"

"I just... Haven't slept well..." This was the truth, but I didn't bother to mention why. I wasn't about to tell Petra the reason for my behavior, that I nearly slept with her ex-husband and then left him in a mere time span of twelve hours. I wasn't going to tell her that, because she could kick my ass just as easily as Levi or Mikasa could, and I wasn't in the mood to have a foot shoved five miles up my ass today.

"Is something bothering you then? Maybe you're too stressed over something." She suggested.

"I think I just... Am a little worn out." I mumbled into my arms.

"Oh, I get those days, so I know how you feel. Everyone needs a little breather every now and again." She left the divider to stand by me, and her hand touched my shoulder. I flinched, but I didn't pull away. I didn't want her thinking that it was her, even though it kind of was.

I felt guilty, so, so guilty, because Petra didn't even know what happened yesterday morning. She didn't know any of it, and I felt terrible for lying to her. I couldn't stop lying it seemed, and I felt terrible for doing it, especially to Petra. She was very important to me.

"Maybe you could talk to Levi. If he doesn't need you, maybe he'll let you go home early."

He doesn't need me at all. If he really did, he probably would have gone after me when I left him.

"Maybe..." I sighed and rolled my head to the side to look at the computer a few inches from my face. My phone was sitting next to it, but it had been practically dead since yesterday morning. Mikasa was keeping her distance from me, knowing I needed my space. Who wouldn't when I was letting off such a terrible aura of hatred and regret? Levi hadn't said a word to me in person. All interaction so far was through emails, and it was only about work.

I hadn't seen him since yesterday morning, which feels like an eternity in my world. I already missed him, and it had only been a few hours. I didn't get any sleep last night either, and that's why I was so tired now. I was a real mess without him.

"Poor Eren," Petra mused and rubbed my head. I wasn't a fool; even I would turn into mush with one of Petra's head rubs. Anyone who had gotten one would be on the floor in seconds begging for another. How I didn't see this on a regular basis I would never know.

"Ah, P-Petra!" Aurou suddenly popped his head over the divider, a puppy dog look on his face. "My head hurts too! Could I get one?" He asked.

"Bite your tongue and die." Petra responded. Aurou whined and dropped his head against the divider, and Petra merely smirked in response. Oh yes, she was fully aware that she could have the man wrapped around her pinky finger, but she just loved to mess with him. It was a bit sick and twisted, but that was them of course. They had been this way since I met them, and God only knows how long before then.

I sighed when Petra stopped rubbing my head, but that was only because she was getting into a pretty heated argument with Aurou. It was easy to ignore; I had learned how to do it years ago after taking Levi's advice. I turned my attention back to my phone that had vibrated against the mouse. I poked at it for a moment before looking at the screen, and my eyes widened.

_Rivaille: 2:32 pm:_

_"I need to see you in my office."_

I swallowed a heavy lump that formed in my throat and constricted my breathing. Levi hadn't asked to see me at all since I left him, and all interaction had been through a computer. Why was this so different now?

"Excuse me," I mumbled and stood up. Aurou and Petra stopped yelling, but only for a moment to see me leave before they went right back to bickering. If it wasn't for Erwin walking out of his office and barking over the two of them, I didn't know how far they'd go. Normally their arguments lasted hours, but that was if I or someone else didn't stop them. I wasn't in the mood to deal with them right now, however.

I sighed as I walked to Levi's office. As usual, his door was shut, and I knocked before entering, as I normally did. I looked inside the room, and Levi was sitting at his desk looking over papers. My knocking prompted him to lift his head, and my breath hitched when I looked into his eyes. I looked away, my cheeks flushing a rather prominent color I'm sure.

"Uhm... You wanted to see me?" I asked as I looked at my feet, pretending that they were the most interesting thing I've ever seen.

"Yeah, come in here and shut the door." He instructed. I swallowed again before shutting the door behind me as I stepped inside. I lifted my head a little to look at him, and Levi stood up from his desk with a paper folder in his hands.

"W-What's this about?" I asked.

"I wanted to talk to you about yesterday." He said in a low tone. I felt goose bumps rise on my skin. I shouldn't have been as surprised as I was; after all, I probably broke his heart. I was just waiting for him to yell at me, to curse or the vent off his frustrations, and now was a good opportunity. However, he seemed very calm, which wasn't what I was expecting.

"A-About yesterday... The thing is... Uhm..." I couldn't find the words. It probably would have been very easy to simply say that I had gotten scared, that I was afraid of losing everything by risking everything with him. I didn't say that though; I wouldn't, because it's the same thing that happened with Petra. I wanted to be gentle, or at least something akin to taking my responsibility properly.

"Eren," Levi interrupted. There was a pause, and I looked up to find him still staring. He must have been waiting for me to look at him, because as soon as he caught my eyes, he continued. "I get it."

"... What?" I asked.

"I get it, I really do. I know exactly what's going through your head, so you don't need to apologize." He said and set his folders down. He walked around his desk and sat against the edge, I was tempted to take a seat on the couch if I wasn't so frozen in place.

"You... Aren't mad?" I asked hesitantly. Levi looked down at his desk, his fingers trailing around the frame of it before speaking.

"... No." He mumbled. "I understand that you were scared, and I understand how you thought it would resolve things... So I'm not mad."

"So..." I looked at the floor again. "D-Does this mean... That it's over?" I asked and looked up again. Levi didn't have any problem looking me in the eye.

"... What do you think, Eren?" He questioned. The words made my heart drop down to join my stomach in a party of knots.

It was really over.

"... Was that all you wanted to see me for?" I cleared my throat and asked. I felt my eyes burning with tears that threatened to fall, but I bit the inside of my cheek and stayed firm. I'd hold out and save my crying for later.

"You left your backpack at my place." Levi said and motioned to my backpack sitting on the cushions of his couch. I nodded my head and grabbed my backpack, the lump in my throat tightening painfully. It hurt to breathe, and I was afraid to breathe, because I was afraid to cry in front of him.

It was over, so why would he care? I didn't need him watching me cry without any care behind it.

"Can I go now?" My voice swayed, and I looked to the floor while clutching my backpack to my chest.

"No," Levi said with a bit of a sigh. He stood up and walked around his desk again, and I was left staring at him as if he had lost his mind. I just wanted to leave. I wanted to go home and die in a hole, so why couldn't I leave yet?

"No…?" I uttered.

"No, not yet," Levi said. Levi pulled out a little, black book from one of his desk drawers and began writing in it.

"Why?"

"With everything that has been going on lately, I forgot to pay you." He stated.

"Pay me?" I tilted my head a little as I watched Levi write on the, now that I saw it, blank check.

"Yes," Levi looked up at me. "The whole reason we went through these two weeks was so you could get paid. Don't you remember?" He asked me. I stepped closer without answering, and Levi took that as his answer as he looked back to the check. He finished writing it, and Levi held out the check for me. I hesitantly took it, my hand trembling as I pulled it into my grasp.

I looked at the numbers written down and nearly gasped out loud; I don't think I've ever seen so many zeroes on a check in my life.

"This should be enough, right? If not I can give you more." He offered with a blank expression. I stared down at the check, my eyes looking over his handwriting and trailing the little tails he put on almost every letter. I couldn't answer him, even though I wanted to.

He had it wrong; this was more than enough money to put Mikasa and me through college for another ten years if we desired it, but something wasn't right. I couldn't shake this feeling. Taking this check from him... Made me feel so  _guilty._  It felt wrong to take it.

At first this money was why I helped him, but after meeting his grandparents and spending time with the three of them, the money was no longer the issue. I enjoyed spending time with them. I had fun and it felt like I had a family for the first time since I can remember. Losing his grandfather felt like a loss to me, and after yesterday... Taking this money now would make me feel like that was all it was ever about, and it wasn't.

I couldn't take it.

"What's wrong?" Levi asked. I bothered one last glance at the check before holding it out for him.

"I don't want it," I said somberly. For once Levi had the decency to look surprised.

"What...?" He gaped.

"I don't want it," I repeated and motioned for him to take it. He slowly did, his fingers barely meeting mine as he pulled the check from my hand. He stared at it absentmindedly, his eyes being covered by his black bangs.

"I thought you needed this for school?" He questioned me, his voice low.

"I do," I paused to get my words right. "... But I can manage. Mikasa and I will get through college on our own." I finished, trying to make myself sound as determined as I could even though I was mentally suffering. I should have been thinking of Mikasa here, how she worked two jobs and was an honor student, but it didn't feel right to me to take the money. I hoped she could forgive me for that.

Levi's head remained low, eyes still staring at the check blankly. I wasn't sure what was going through his mind, but I wasn't going to stay and find out. I needed to leave before he did something like argue with me to take the money. I turned to leave, my back facing him as I made my way to his office door. I wanted to get out; I needed to, and just as my hand reached for the handle-

"Eren..." He called out. I turned my head back to him, looking over my shoulder to see his eyes still covered by his bangs, but I could see those black eyes peeking out at me.

"Yeah...?" My voice trembled by his stare alone.

"... Who are we kidding?" He asked. I turned my body more to him, my hand falling back to my side.

"W-What do you mean?" I asked, stuttering slightly. Levi lifted a hand and his fingers beckoned me back to him. I did as instructed, my legs moving on their own and bringing me back by his side. I stared down at him, expecting a cold expression when he looked up at me, but getting a soft, tender look instead. His eyes were staring directly into mine, pleading and begging for something. I could only guess what.

I bent down to his height and pressed my lips against his, to which he gracefully returned the kiss and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. My own followed and wrapped around his waist, one hand pressing into the desk as I leaned over him. His legs wrapped around my hips and his arms pulled and pulled until I was completely over him and his back was against the desk. All the while our kisses didn't stop. They were ongoing, our lips' pressing into each other's almost painfully, the pressure enough to leave bruises, but I didn't care.

I distantly heard the sound of his pencil cup falling and the pencils and pens scattering on the floor, but he didn't seem to care, and I sure as hell didn't give it a second thought

I  _needed_  this. I needed him and his body and I needed it now. He was right; who are we kidding? Absolutely no one and definitely not ourselves.

I pressed my hips down into his and ground them together, earning myself a muffled moan from him. I didn't have the time or the patience to wait any longer, and obviously he felt the same way when his tongue pushed past my lips and met my own with no resistance. I made sure to copy each movement his tongue made, to make sure I was doing things right and make it seem like I wasn't clueless to the whole ordeal, which I was. He yanked at my hair, forcing more pressure into the kiss, pulled at my shoulders, clawed at my back, did everything he could to make me crumble into pieces over top of him, but I was doing a pretty good job making him tremble with desire as well.

I pulled back for a moment, completely breathless and my lungs aching for air. Levi was in the same state as I when we broke apart, the first thing he did being gasping for air. Our eyes met and I couldn't even get out a small smile before I swooped back in for a kiss. I unintentionally moaned, and I scarcely heard Levi do the same. The sound prompted heat to grow in my lower abdomen and I hooked an arm around his knee to lift his leg higher.

I broke away from the kissing again to breathe, but to also start trailing kisses on his neck. Levi bent his head back and sighed, his back arching off of the desk to roll his chest against mine. This brought our hips together again and the sensation nearly melted my brain. I couldn't think beyond yanking his tie off and sucking at the pale and unscarred skin of his neck. I marred it myself with a big and dark red bruise just below his ear. I felt him thread his rough fingers into my hair and pull just enough to make my head lift. For a minute I thought he was going to hit me for marking up his skin with a hickey, but his eyes were glazed over with a fog of lust, and I was sure I looked the same way.

He pulled me back to where I belonged, which was in his arms with my lips on his. Instead of our tongues battling for dominance, it was simple kiss. Well, not simple; it was full of hot passion and possession (I wasn't sure if I should be afraid of that), and it made my heart ache. The fact that Levi was conveying these emotions in a kiss with me proved so much to me.

It proved that he was willing to trust me, even after what I did to him. It proved that he did care for me, that he wanted me just as much as I wanted him. He was willing to trust me enough to give me everything, if only for the time presented, and I wasn't about to fuck it up again.

I was done running. I was done being a coward and worrying about the "what ifs" when I should have truly focused on what was happening now, and how I could do things to make the future easier to handle. Leaving Levi had been the worst mistake I could have ever made, and I wasn't about to do it again.

"Levi..." His named rolled off of my tongue as we parted. It felt good to say his name. It all felt so good.

It felt good for us to be close; for our faces to be an inch apart and have his breath caressing my skin. It felt good to have his fingers running through my hair and massaging my scalp. It felt good for his hips to roll against mine and for his legs to tighten around me to show he wanted more. It felt great when he called my name.

"Eren," He breathed out. The sound made more heat pool to my obvious erection and I couldn't resist grabbing at the hem of his pants.

"L-Levi..." I pressed my lips to his neck once more while pulling on his pants, getting nowhere with the buckle still fastened and the zipper still up.

I consider that a good thing. Had I pulled his pants down, it would have been even more of an awkward scene for her as Petra walked in on us.

"Hey, Levi, Erwin wanted me to get you to sign-..." She stopped dead in her tracks when seeing us. I scrambled away and fell to the floor, but it wasn't in time. Petra had seen us and had seen what we were doing, and the guilt couldn't have hit me any harder. This was Petra after all, Levi's ex-wife. She had just seen me running my hands on him and kissing his neck; hell, I was practically ripping his pants off and she saw that. Now she saw me on the floor with a bulge in my pants, my cheeks flushed from ear to ear, and the mess in my hair that Levi had created from gripping it so tightly.

I wouldn't blame her if she hated me for the remainder of our lives.

"... P-Papers..." She mumbled and said papers fell from her hands and onto the floor. An unbearably quiet moment passed, and I would have said something if it weren't for this horrendous fear I was suffering from (and the boner that wouldn't go away). Levi finally sat up from his desk, fixing the first few buttons of his shirt that were open and putting them back into place. I don't even remember undoing the buttons of his shirt, but the evidence was right there in plain sight of both Petra and I to see.

"What are the papers about?" Levi suddenly asked, his tone calm and his expression as nonchalant as ever. Petra was too stunned to even answer. I wasn't sure if she knew the answer or if she was just too stunned to answer him. I sure as hell wasn't.

"That's your first fucking question?" I barked at him, and my voice cracked at the higher pressure. Levi rolled his neck around and acted like none of what happened actually happened. I groaned, but I looked to Petra nonetheless. "Pe-Petra, I'm sorry! I'm really, really sorry!" I started reeling out apologies, because I truly was sorry.

I didn't mean for her to see that. I don't think I meant for what happened to happen either, but I digress.

"Um..." She looked off to the right before looking back at us and then again, but to the left. "N-No, you shouldn't apologize for anything. You've done nothing wrong." She couldn't look at me when she said this and her cheeks were slightly pink, but Petra wasn't one for lying. I knew this for a fact, and so did everyone else in the office.

Petra had a penchant of touching her ear when she lied. She didn't do that now, but I can't be too sure of anything. She could just be too stunned to move.

"So... You won't tell anyone?" I asked hesitantly.

"Oh no! I won't, but uh..." She trailed off and the door pushed open more.

I wasn't sure what was more mortifying: Seeing Hanji behind the door with an enormous grin on her lips, or hearing Levi break out into laughter. Seeing her at first was horrifying; Hanji can't keep a secret to save her life, and she sure as hell wasn't going to keep this quiet, but when Levi started laughing...

I've never seen Levi laugh before, and it's the most nerve-wrecking thing I've had happen all day. Yes, Hanji and Petra walking in on us was not what got to me the most. He's never laughed; he's chuckled a few times, but never laughed as hard as he was now. He fell over onto his back against the desk, clutching his stomach as he laughed. Tears threatened at the tips of his eyes and his laughter was loud. Don't get me wrong, he had a wonderful laugh, but...

Why was he laughing? What was so funny about this damn moment? Two people, one his ex-wife, just walked in on us in a heated and heavy make out session. I see nothing funny about this moment whatsoever.

"Y-You shitty four eyes!" Levi choked out through his laughter. "You're so fucking dead!" He tried sitting up, but ended up slipping off of the desk and onto the floor where he laughed some more. The tears finally spilled over his eyes, running down his cheeks and slipping off of his sharp chin. I really didn't understand what was so funny, funny enough to make him cry even.

I looked back to the two women at the door, but to my surprise, along with Hanji, Petra was smiling. Hers wasn't creepy or disfigured like Hanji's was; it was a nice, soft, calm, and happy smile. She wasn't angry or disgusted? I wouldn't blame her if she was; I was disgusted with myself for letting them see it.

"Well, Petra, the boys are busy. Let's go tell Erwin that they need some time by themselves." Hanji said with a sigh and picked up the papers Petra had dropped. She collected them in her arms and set them down on the coffee table by Levi's couch. "I'm just going to set these down here. You aren't going to  _need_  this space, are you?" Hanji asked while pointing to the table.

Levi shot up from the floor, laughter and all, and chased after Hanji. The two bolted out of the room and I could scarcely hear Hanji laughing to herself at Levi's antics. This left Petra and I alone in his office. I hesitantly stared up at Petra who was glancing out the door, that kind smile still on her lips as she watched the two employees running around like idiots. I forced myself onto my feet and cautiously stepped her way.

"P-Petra...?" I stuttered. She looked back at me, a small giggle leaving her as Erwin suddenly stepped out of his office to confront Hanji and Levi.

"Hm?" She hummed contently. I averted my eyes when she looked into mine with those big, golden eyes of her.

"D-... Uhm, d-do you..." I couldn't do it. I was too afraid of what she'd say. Petra had been the person who opened up her arms to me when I first worked at this company. She treated me like a friend on the spot and helped me whenever I needed it. She was the person who was the sweetest to me, and inevitably became a good friend to me.

I couldn't bear it if I lost my friendship with her.

"Do I what, Eren?" She asked. She didn't sound angry or disgusted, that was a start.

"Do you... H-Hate me...?" I managed to say.

"Why would I hate you, Eren?" She asked, and her full attention was finally on me and not on Erwin scolding his assistants outside.

"What you just saw, I mean... W-We were, and I was um... I know he's your ex and all..." Where was I getting at with this? I don't think I was so sure of it myself.

"Well yeah, but we broke up two years ago. You knew that, right?" She asked me.

"Yeah, I-I did, but I didn't want to upset you." I dropped my head in shame. I really was the worst.

"Eren," Petra's voice became stern and I braced for the worst. She placed both of her hands on my shoulders with a surprisingly firm grip and forced me to look back up. I hesitated to meet her eyes, but I eventually did, and I was relieved to see that she didn't look angry. She looked more like a mother who was preparing to give a lecture instead. However, I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear it.

"Yeah...?"

"You know why Levi and I broke up, right?" She asked me. I nodded my head, but I wasn't so sure. Was there more to the story that I didn't know of?

"I think so," I muttered and tried looking away, but her eyes were so captivating. I couldn't look away.

"Levi and I did love each other, and I still do, but I will always care for him that way. He is special in my heart." She said. "This job isn't an easy job, and it put a lot of strain on our relationship. We were slowly growing paranoid. Were we cheating on one another? Were we angry at each other?"

"It was an endless battle between us and our issues." She finally loosened her grip on me as her voice dropped, her eyes falling with it in sadness. The story must have been pretty hard for her to talk about, and I felt guilty for bringing this whole thing up. "But what I considered worse was that I was losing my best friend. I couldn't risk having that happen, because Levi and I have always been friends since we were kids, and we tried to work things out, we really did, but nothing was working. We were together for two more years before we finally broke up, but it was mutual. We both saw it coming..."

"I wanted my friend back, Eren. It's pretty selfish to end ten years of marriage just because of that, but it worked." Her smile returned, slightly hurt, but her eyes were glistening with a newfound determination I hadn't seen on her before. "The first year was hard, but it did work. I got my friend back, and let me tell you something..." She bent closer and got close to me to whisper in my ear. "I haven't heard him laugh like that since we first got married."

I looked out at the scene unfolding in front of us. Levi and Hanji were currently being scolded by Erwin, who had fallen into a dad like state by wagging his finger at the two of them and lecturing them. Hanji, who had her head low like a sad puppy, was taking the punishment seriously. Levi, however, was rolling his eyes while keeping his arms crossed over his chest. He was like the adolescent teenager who couldn't care less about what their parents said, but I saw the smirk lingering in his jaw. He was actually enjoying this whole situation for all it was worth, and I saw what Petra meant.

He was happy; genuinely and gratefully happy.

"I haven't heard him laugh for so long, let alone smile a real smile. He's happy, Eren." Petra spoke kindly and patted my shoulders. "I think you have something to do with that." She finished off, her hand giving one last pat to my shoulder before she pulled it away.

"I-I don't think I've done anything that great... I mean, I'm just a brat to him." I said and feigned disinterest, but I wasn't doing a good job. Petra saw right through me; hell, I knew that my lie was a pathetic one, but knowing that I had done something this big, and for someone as important to me as Levi, made my heart swell with pride. I was happy that he was happy.

"Don't downgrade yourself, Eren. Even if he meant that insult, it just means that he's only saying it to cover up his real feelings." When Petra said this, her voice was teasing and laced with humor, but I didn't care. Real feelings for  _me?_  Was that true?

I wanted to ponder hard on this idea for a good, long time, but I couldn't. Erwin had finished his lecture, letting Levi and Hanji free. Levi practically strutted over to us, his hands in his pockets and his eyes on me.

"Behave yourself, Levi!" Erwin called out from his office door.

"Grow a bigger dick, Erwin!" Levi yelled back. Petra bit back the giggles, but I was no less than stunned by the comment. I'd never heard him openly insult Erwin like that; I'd never heard him insult Erwin at all. He looked up to Erwin, so why would he insult him?

"Don't tease him, Levi." Petra giggled and shook her head when Levi scoffed.

"I'm only speaking the truth." Levi shrugged his shoulders and said. Levi put his attention back on me, a smirk thinning his lips and making me shiver. "Come on, brat, let's get out of here." He said and grabbed at my hand.

"What, but why?" I asked as he pulled me in the direction of the elevators. He didn't answer, leaving myself guessing instead. He yanked me to the elevators and pushed at a button instead. "Levi...?" I persisted and tried to free my wrist from his hard grasp. "Why are we leaving during work hours?"

The elevator made it to our floor and it opened. No one was in it, prompting Levi to push me in and follow close behind.

"Ow, what the hell?" I barked at him and rubbed the back of my head where it hit the elevator wall. Levi pushed a button on the wall opposite from me and the doors shut, leaving us alone. He placed his hands in his pockets as he turned back to face me, another smirk donning his soft lips. "L-Levi...?"

"You didn't think you were just going to blue ball me and that'd be it?" He asked, stepping away from the doors to stand in front of me. Once again I felt three feet tall.

"B-Blue ball?" I had heard the term once or twice, so I knew what it meant, but had that really happened between us? We did that and then... Yeah, I guess that's what happened between us.

"You better text your sister, Eren." Levi warned, the smirk not fading from his lips.

"Why...?" I was afraid to ask that.

"Because you're spending a  _long_  night at my place tonight," He stepped closer again until our chests were pressed together and his hands were sitting on my hips.

"Spending the night...?" I dared to ask.

"I'll make sure you can't walk right for a week."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is ready for shum smut~?


	26. I Will Never Leave Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep forgetting that I have this account... Whoops. XD  
> Welp! Enjoy the smut! :D Hopefully it is to your liking? Yessss? *nods*

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

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**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)**

* * *

**Chapter 26:** **  
** **I Will Never Leave Again** ****  


* * *

I gasped as the bed met my back, a light bounce following soon after. I opened my eyes quickly to find Levi standing over me, a smirk spreading his perfect lips as he began pulling on his tie.

"Hey, that's my job." I said, my voice barely shaking with the anticipation and knowledge of what was happening and what was about to happen. Levi's grin widened, and I wasn't sure if I should have been afraid of that.

"Well then fucking do it." He commanded. I reached up and grabbed at his loose tie and yanked, hard enough to pull him down onto the bed with me, but not so hard that it would choke him. Our lips met, and I sighed as we moved together, his mouth coaxing mine open. His tongue was exploring in seconds, poking and prodding at mine for a reaction. Of course he met with no resistance, and the feel of his body against mine had me moaning.

I pulled his tie off, and I made quick work at pulling his damn suit jacket off. I yanked it back over his arms, all while our lips were still together. When he was free, Levi's hand grabbed at my wrists and pressed them into the bed above my head. I squirmed, but be didn't let go.

"Eager, are we, Jaeger?" He asked with a small pant when he pulled back.

"Yes," I gasped out. Levi kissed along my jaw, his teeth nipping at my skin. I groaned within my throat when his lips sucked just below my ear; apparently I was very sensitive there. "So much for being a bottom player..." I muttered, and that got Levi to chuckle.

"I'm no bottom player." He said.

"You sure act like one when you want to." I dared to look at him, but his eyes were filled with a humorous lust that had me shivering and looking away.

"Only because you caught me with my guard down," He explained and licked from my collar bone to my ear. I shivered again, my body squirming under his some more, but he wouldn't budge. With his chest pressing into mine and his hips pressing mine into the bed, I was utterly trapped "Why don't you tell me what you want? I'm sure you can." He murmured into my ear.

The feeling of his hot breath and the seductive voice whispering in my ear shot pleasure through my body, straight to the obvious erection I'd had since earlier in his office.

"Fuck, Levi," I rasped. Levi's free hand pushed my shirt up, his fingers crawling over my skin. My body arched up into his as his mouth blissfully sucked on my earlobe.

"Come on, Eren. I can't do anything unless I know what you want." Levi sat back on his heels, removing his hand from my shirt and letting my wrists go.

"Levi," I sighed. "I want you. I need you so badly..."

"What is it you need?" Levi asked while trailing his fingers on the inside of my upper thigh. I flushed, gaining as much courage as I could (or maybe I was looking for dignity).

"I-I want you in me. I need to feel your skin against mine." I explained and looked at the disheveled sheets under me. Levi's fingers trailed under my chin, making me look up at him with clouded eyes. There was that smirk on his perfect lips again.

"Why didn't you say so sooner?" He asked as he moved forward, his lips searching.

"You're such a sadist," I practically growled as I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. Levi wrapped his arms around me, his hands gripping at my thighs and ass tightly and pulling me into his lap. I cupped his cheeks in my hands as I kissed him, my nails scratching behind his ears unintentionally. He groaned into my mouth, and now it was my turn to smirk.

"Your ears too, huh?" I asked against his mouth. Levi rolled his eyes before we continued, and his hands were undoing the buckle of my belt. He yanked it off in one swift and fluid moment and tossed it away, and then he undid the button and zipper of my pants. I felt the waist band become slack before his hands reached in and squeezed the skin of my butt. I tilted my head back, my lips parting to sigh at the sensation. Levi's lips traveled along my neck while his hands continued to kneed my skin, and I finally noticed that I had been rolling my hips into his for friction.

Levi chuckled against my collar bone, his hands leaving my pants in favor of pulling on my shirt. I lowered my head and lifted my arms, my shirt slipping off of me, but not without getting stuck. The stupid buttons were such a bitch.

"Cold..." I muttered.

"I can fix that." Levi said as he wrapped his arms around me. I huddled close into his arms, my fingers undoing one button at a time of his shirt. It slid off of his shoulders gracefully, just like the rest of him, and I ran my hands all along the familiar territory. I was so busy being fascinated with his body that I didn't notice Levi moving, his lips gliding over my skin until his hot breath was moist against a nipple. I shivered as his lips covered it, and a beautiful sensation fluttered over me as he began sucking.

"Mhf... L-Levi..." I sighed.

"Hm...?" Levi hummed against me. The sensation was a bit of a shock, and I unintentionally let out a quiet moan.

"Y-You're a tease..." I stated with a shiver. Levi's hand took care of my other nipple, and I felt my eyes roll back in pleasure.

"Is that a bad thing?" Levi asked against my skin.

"Mh... N-Not really," I mumbled. Levi's other hand was suddenly against the front of my pants, relentlessly kneading my hardening member. I groaned, my head falling to his shoulder in the process.

"Does that hurt?" He asked, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. He wasn't making fun of me, was he?

"No," I breathed. "Keep d-doing that." I shuffled my hips, hoping for more. More I got.

Levi's fingers slipped away, but only momentarily. His hand slid under the first layer of my clothing, and I felt the ache for his touch grow. I needed to feel what I felt on my birthday, and the desire for it was getting worse. Levi pushed forward, and I tilted back until I was laying flush against the sheets again. Levi's hands retreated, grabbing at the waist band of my pants and pulling. I lifted my hips while looking away, too embarrassed to see what it was he was about to do.

"You better not look away." Levi growled. "I want you to see everything I do to you, because I want you to remember this for the rest of your life." His words rang in my ears and sent tingles all over my body. My underwear slid down my legs, and I covered my face with my hands. I felt Levi settled between my calves, his hands traveling along my skin, as if he were waiting for something. I knew what he was waiting for, but I couldn't look.

Every time he moved his hand, his fingers got closer and closer to my aching erection. I shifted my hips, hoping for the contact, but his hand pulled away before anything could happen. I whined, but I still couldn't look.

"Eren," Levi said softy. His voice was closer, and I barely peaked past my arm to see him hovering over me. I shivered as Levi tugged my arm away, my legs closing around Levi's hips, but his body was in the way. "I'm not going to hurt you. You know that, right?" He asked me, his voice still soft as his fingers brushed against my cheek.

"I know you won't..." I mumbled. I couldn't look away now, not with his eyes glue to mine like a trap.

"So why won't you look?" He asked. There was a moment where I thought I saw the hurt in his eyes, and maybe it was even in his tone, but I wasn't sure. Was he actually hurt by the idea that I wouldn't watch him?

"... B-Because it's embarrassing," I admitted and forced my eyes away. I heard one of Levi's all too familiar and sexy chuckles, and I looked back with a slight glare. "What are you laughing at?" I asked.

"You're so innocent," He said and sat back. His hand grazed my member, and I looked away even though I was rolling up into his touch. "You might as well throw that shyness of yours out the window. You won't be embarrassed for long." Another soft touch, this time accompanied by a squeeze, and I tilted my head back and groaned.

"F-Fuck..." I cursed.

"See? You're already enjoying yourself." He said and finally began stroking. Memories from my birthday flooded my mind, all of the touches and kisses as vivid as they were now. I felt tears prickle at the sides of my eyes, but I didn't understand why I would cry now when I was so happy.

What could possibly make me upset? Was it me hating myself for ever leaving Levi to begin with? Or was it my guilty conscious telling me that I could have had this so much sooner had I not run away like a coward? I wasn't too sure, but I would try not to think about it for now.

Levi's hand was growing more persistent, stroking and kneading and making my body melt with pleasure I hadn't felt before. The lonely nights I shared with my hand were nothing compared to the feelings in me now. I couldn't stop the embarrassing sounds that were coming out of my mouth, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to or not. There was that fear of getting too loud, of what would happen if I got any louder, and Levi's words were replaying in my mind.

He was right. Even though he wasn't him, I still had that fear. I grew up learning to live a certain way, and I was still trying to live like that. It was like an instinct, and instinct to bring my hand down to my mouth and bite down on the muscle of my thumb so I wouldn't get so loud. The last time I tried that, Levi held my hand away so I wouldn't do it again. My body ached, my chest heaved in gasps for air, and my lungs deflated faster than they were inflating. I felt my anxiety rising.

"L-Levi," I gasped. Levi looked up from his current task and met my eyes with a clouded stare. I lifted my hand and reached out to him, hoping he would be willing to take it. To my utter relief, he did, and he smiled sweetly at me as he stroked the scar along my thumb. "Levi..."

"I've got you..." He said, and his stroking continued. I tilted my head back, my eyes rolling into my head at the pleasure. It felt heightened, stronger, and I distantly wondered if it was because that was all I could focus on. I couldn't think of anything other than Levi, of his touches, kisses, or gentle words. I couldn't help but wonder if he was anxious at all like me.

After all, I had heard about what he went through, and I wondered if this brought back any of those terrible memories or if he was able to push those away.

These thoughts were dwindling though. There was a sudden moist heat around me that made my toes curl, my back arch, and my free hand fist the sheets above my head. I moaned out loud, my fears disappearing into nothing as Levi took his time licking at my skin. At first it was simple; his tongue licked along the side of my length and then up to the head. Then he sucked, his lips enclosing around the tip and making my body tremble.

"L-Levi- _ah,_ " I whined. That's when he took all of me into his mouth. I unintentionally cried out at the sensation, my body thrusting up into his mouth by accident. Levi sat back for a moment, coughing as he wiped his lips with the back of his hands.

"Be careful, brat. Don't have too much fun up there, or I won't get my share of fun." He said with a hoarse tone. I nodded my head, watching as he slowly bent back down and wrapped his lips around my length. Fuck, why didn't I watch before? Watching Levi suck on me like I was the best candy in the world was the most arousing thing I had ever seen, outdoing any porn I've ever bothered my time with to watch. If this didn't give me a bloody nose, I had no idea what would.

Levi hummed against me as he sucked, his head moving further down until he was gagging around the base. I moaned breathlessly, my fingers tangling in his hair and tugging lightly. This only seemed to spur him on, his sucking persistent.

It felt like my heart was drumming in my ears; maybe it really was. My breathing had become erratic, and all I could do was pant and moan like I was an animal in heat. Levi didn't seem to care, and if it wasn't for his mouth currently filled, I was sure he'd sound similar to me.

He pulled away with a small gasp, breathless, and looked up at me with a smirk. I whimpered as he continued running his fingers over my aching cock, and he sat up, though he was a little off balance.

"How does it feel, Eren?" He asked.

"Hng... G-Good," Why was he making me answer him? It was so embarrassing.

"Do you like what I'm doing?" I nodded my head with a whimper, and Levi sat back on his feels completely, his hands leaving my body. "Eren, under my clothes in the nightstand there's a little packet and a bottle. Get them for me." He said, or maybe he was commanding me. Was he giving me a choice?

It's not like I would have really disagreed to it.

I sat up, my whole body shaking from exertion. My arms could barely hold me up as I moved over to the bedside table and opened the drawer. I pushed his clothes out of the way in search for what he told me to find, and they were sitting in the back of the drawer. I pulled them out, my eyes look over the little condom packet and bottle of lube. I swallowed.

So we were really going to do this, huh? It's not like I didn't want to do this with him; I did, but the realization of it was starting to catch up to me. The questions and concerns were starting to pile up in my head, the worries and "what ifs" making their presence known. I closed my eyes, trying to dispel them, but it was hard.

Why was I so afraid of losing him? I knew I liked him, enough at least to be doing this with him, but I've never felt such fear for losing someone before.

Was it because it was so easy to lose him? Or maybe…

"Eren," Levi's arms wrapped around my shoulders. I jumped in surprise, but I turned to look at him. He sat back, and my cheeks couldn't have been any redder at the sigh in front of me. Sure, I had seen Levi without a shirt on before, but never without pants. There was my birthday, but I knew that I had alcohol in my system, and I wasn't so sure what was memory and what was fantasy.

It was all memory.

"Your eyes look like they're about to pop out of their sockets." Levi pointed out with a smirk. I looked down in embarrassment, trying to find something more entertaining, but how could anything be any more entertaining than  _that._

"S-Sorry…" I muttered. Levi took my hand and pulled, yanking me back to the bed. Once again I was on my back with Levi hovering over me, and he had the bottle of lube in his hands again. I looked from that to him, and the gears in my head were frantically rolling.

"You know…" Levi started and touched my hand. "We don't have to do this."

"I-I want to," The words came out faster than I had even thought of them. It was true; I wanted this more than anything, but I was scared. I was scared of so many things, some of them I wasn't even sure of. I didn't know of all of it, I just knew that I was scared.

"Are you sure?" Levi asked, and for a moment his eyes softened. Again I didn't think of my answer. I nodded my head, and when I did, the realization sunk in.

Yeah, I wanted to do this. I wanted to do this, and I didn't want to be afraid. I wanted to be with Levi, and I didn't want to lose him. I was scared of losing him, and there was a part of me thinking that this would somehow separate us; that was what I was afraid of. However, I was tired of hiding my feelings for him. I was tired of acting like there was nothing between us when there obviously was. I was tired of playing around like I didn't care for him.

I was right before; I was falling in love with him.

"Alright…" Levi seemed skeptical, but he moved on. He opened up the little packet I had gotten from his nightstand and rolled the condom on. Levi had done some pretty sexy things before, either intentional or unintentional, and this was one of them. Was he even aware of what he did to me? "Eren, while we're doing this, if you ever need to stop, just say so. I won't be mad or anything-"

I rolled my eyes at Levi's words, and I sat up quickly and cut him off with a kiss. I yanked him down with me as I fell backwards, our bodies clashing together in the most appropriate of ways, our erections rubbing together. I moaned into his mouth, and I vaguely felt Levi's do the same as his arms wrapped around my legs. He pushed my knees up to my chest, and I whined as I looked away again. It was so embarrassing, but I had to get over it like he said. I probably wouldn't care in a few minutes anyway.

"This might sting at first. Just… Breathe through it, okay?" He explained in a questioning tone, almost like he didn't really know himself. I nodded my head as I listened to the sounds of Levi uncapping the bottle of lube. I sucked in a big breath of air when he capped it back, and I waited for the presumed sensation of "pain" he said was to come.

That's when I felt his wet fingers running down the inside of my thighs. I shivered wen his fingers grazed my entrance, and I lifted my arms to cover my face. I didn't want to see this, no matter what he said.

"Are you okay with this?" Levi asked. I nodded. I couldn't help but be touched by how he was reacting. He was so gentle, so kind, and so  _loving,_  and it made it so much easier to deal with when his finger pushed in.

"I-I'm fine," Well, he was right. It stung pretty badly. I was sure that if Levi hadn't thought ahead of time and gotten lube, this would probably be even more painful, and I didn't know if I could handle that.

"Remember to tell me if you can't handle it." Levi's finger moved in me, and I sighed at the feeling. The sensation was one I suddenly hadn't felt before; not even I was brave enough to try it out on my own, but I couldn't say that it was entirely unpleasant. There was a thrumming anticipation for more, and I found myself rolling against his hand.

With my eyes covered by my arm, I couldn't possibly see it coming, but I felt Levi's lips against my jaw. I lifted my arm to find his eyes on mine, and I reached up to wrap my arms around him. I pulled him close, pulled his lips to mine as his finger reached further in me, and with every thrust, I felt my body heating up more and more.

It felt good.

Levi's second finger soon followed. That was when the real sting started to hit me. I had to stop kissing him, had to let my head lean back so I could catch my breath. I did what Levi told me before and took careful breaths, trying to keep myself steady. It was hard, but Levi was patient, simply looking into my eyes and waiting.

I had a brief thought enter my mind as to why he was doing this, and it was probably because he knew how it worked. After all, he had been raped, and he probably knew the differences between what was supposed to feel good and what wasn't. Maybe that was why he was being so patient, and the idea of it made me want to cry.

That was until Levi curled his fingers up, and I let out the loudest sound I thought I have ever made in my life.

"Found it," Levi mused and moved his fingers again. I practically keened, my body forgetting the pain and rolling against his hand again. It stung, but the sensations coming from down there were too much for me to handle. I couldn't do anything but thrust against him.

"O-Oh my God…" I groaned. "D-Don't stop, don't fucking stop."

"Feeling good now, Eren?" He asked with a coy smirk. All I could do was whine and moan like an animal in heat as I continued to roll my body against his. At some point, though I wasn't sure when, a third finger pushed into me. I was trapped between pain and pleasure, but Levi kept attacking that one spot and making my whole body feel alive with things I had never felt before, both physically and mentally.

"S-Shit… Oh fuck, Levi!" I felt a familiar heat in my lower body, a feeling I knew all too well. I wouldn't last long, not with him doing this to me, and he seemed to know it. With a few more thrusts, Levi suddenly pulled his fingers out when I felt like I was so close to the peak of pleasure. "Fuck, w-why did you stop?"

"I said before that I wanted my share of fun." Levi said, and I just now realized how breathless he was. Looking up at him through clouded eyes, I saw the haze of pink along his cheeks, and the dim lighting of his room made his eyes glow in a way I had never seen before. I lifted my hand and touched his cheek, feeling the way his cheeks were warm with life, life that I hadn't been so happy for in life.

"Levi…" I sighed. Levi's lips spread in the most gentle of smiles I think I've ever seen on him, and I closed my eyes as he leaned down to kiss me. I distantly heard the sound of Levi uncapping the bottle from earlier, but I paid no mind to it. I stayed focused on Levi's lips, how soft they were, though slightly chapped. My breath was muted by our kisses as his tongue slipped between my lips, and at the same time, I felt Levi's hands spreading my legs apart.

"Eren," Levi said against my lips. I opened my eyes and looked up to him when I felt something (though I knew what) pressing against my entrance. "Breathe, okay?" I nodded my head while grabbing Levi's shoulders, and I prepared myself for whatever was about to come.

I had seen some gay porn in my life time, so I had a general idea of what was going to happen. However, no one in any of those videos ever said it would hurt like this. Levi pushed in, and I let out a scream of pain. I clapped a hand over my mouth in fear, but Levi had already heard me, and I regretted it. I didn't want him worrying over me.

"Shit, I-I'm sorry," He said and breathed out harshly, his hands tightening around my hips painfully. His eyes were shut, his face scrunched up tightly, but I wasn't sure if he was in pain as well or it felt good to him. "Hold on to me, E-Eren…" He commanded. I did, wrapping my arms around him and hiding my face in the junction of his neck and shoulder. Levi adjusted his grip, his hands holding onto my arms as he pressed his forehead into mine. He pecked my lips lightly, and I felt his hot breath fan against my lips.

"If you have to, you can scratch at me or something; I don't care." Levi mumbled, his lips brushing against mine.

"W-Won't that… Hurt you?" I asked through my strained breathing. Levi chuckled, and I felt a sudden thrust forward. I yelp in pain, but I noticed that it wasn't as bad as before.

"I've got my dick shoved five miles up your ass, and you're worried about  _me_?" He asked and laughed a little. "You really are something, Jaeger…"

"I-I care abo-" I began, but Levi thrust forward again. I whined, my head leaning back into the pillows. The pain was disappearing; however, that didn't make it any less uncomfortable.  _"Fuck…"_

"Does it still hurt?" Levi asked. I saw the desperation in his eyes, and I knew that this was probably killing him. I wondered what was going through his mind at the moment, but only briefly. "Eren…?"

"Mh… N-Not really… Still feels weird…" I had lost the ability to form a proper sentence at some point along the way.

"I can fix that," Levi said with a smirk. I was prepared to question him, but another thrust pulled a loud moan from me. I covered my mouth again, embarrassment hitting me so hard that I really felt like I could crawl into a hole and die. "I didn't find it that fast, did I?" He asked me.

"S-Shut- Hgn… Ah…" Levi began moving his hips slowly, an absolute torture to me. Yeah, he found it. No more pain for me and of all times he could have been gentle, he chose now, when I was so done with being slow. " _P-Please_  Levi…"

"What was that?" Levi asked and stopped all together. I groaned and yanked him down into a kiss, catching him off guard for a moment, but it was enough time to roll my hips down into his. He moaned into my mouth, our lips parted enough to make it loud and force a blush from him. He pulled away abruptly, and I knew I hit a right button when he practically glared at me. I smirked, because I knew I had gotten to him, but I had a very bad feeling come over me.

Soon enough, Levi grabbed both of my legs by the backs of my knees and forced them to my shoulders. I gasped and moaned as Levi began rolling his body into my, fast and erratic and pulling the breath from me.

"You're going to regret that, Eren." He warned. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad at the moment, but I couldn't really care. Levi was hitting that spot inside of me over and over again and making my body tremble. I felt like my whole body was on fire, my skin hot and sweating from the exercise, and Levi wasn't showing mercy.

I grabbed at his arms and dug my nails in deep, and I couldn't bring myself to care if it hurt him or not. He didn't seem to mind though; in fact, he seemed to like it. He groaned, lifting one of my legs up and over his shoulder so he could adjust his angle to reach deeper within me. It did the trick, because I felt the way his body could ground into mine.

I gasped, my eyes rolling back into my head. It all went black as I tried reached out for Levi, but he grabbed at my hands with one hand and forced them above my head, holding them down into the pillows and keeping them there. I wanted to protest, but I couldn't even breathe let alone speak. I was losing more air when moaning then I was gaining when I gasped for air. Levi reached down between my legs and grabbed at my neglected and aching member, and I saw stars.

Fuck, I wasn't going to last long if he did that any more than he already was.

"I-I'm gonna cum, I- F- _Fuck!_ " Levi let go of my hands and pushed my legs into the bed, holding them down by my hips. His pace sped up, and I distantly heard the sounds of his own pleasure filled moans hidden away behind my own.

"I'm close," Levi hissed. I lifted my hands up, holding them out in hopes that Levi would return to my grasp. I wasn't let down, and he kissed me with a feverish desire that made me lose it all.

I wrapped my arms around Levi's shoulders, digging my nails into his shoulder blades as I came hard into his hand. I bit his shoulder, stifling the loudest scream I had ever felt in my life, louder than anything I had released that night. I was sure I drew blood from the bite, but I was so far away from caring. The only thing I could care about was the utter bliss I was feeling in the aftershocks of my orgasm, twitching and all.

In the dim fog of my aftermath, I felt Levi let go. He dropped his head down onto my shoulder and groaned as he rode out his own bliss, and I couldn't stop whimpering. I had become so sensitive, almost to the point that it hurt. Almost.

"Levi… Levi…" His name was like a broken record coming from me. I couldn't stop saying it. No, that was a lie. I didn't want to stop saying it.

We were finally together.

"Eren…" Levi pushed himself up, his member slipping out of me and making me shiver. I watched with a serious exhaustion as Levi sat up, his arms shaking out from under him. When he lifted his head, I expected a look of content, happiness, or maybe even sleep like I was feeling. What I wasn't expecting was to see tears slipping from his eyes.

"What's wrong…?" That wasn't my voice, was it? No, I must have heard wrong, because I had never sounded so weak before.

I sat up onto my elbows and touched Levi's cheek, cutting through the paths of tears that had practically drenched his cheeks. He looked up at me with such a broken and defeated look, and I felt my heart deflate.

"Don't leave again, Eren… I don't think I could handle it if you left again…" Levi mumbled while leaning his head against my hand.

"I'm not leaving. I can't do it again." I said and pulled him close. Levi's head fell against my shoulder, and I just cradled it there.

"You can't do it, Eren. I don't want to watch you leave again."

"I already said I wasn't. I'm not leaving, Levi. I'm in this for the long run, do you hear me?" There was a nod of confirmation against my shoulder, and I smiled as Levi lay down against me. I didn't care if he was heavy or if this didn't help my need for air. I wanted him as close to me for as long as I could have him.

There was nothing wrong with wanting that. I saw that now. I wanted Levi just as much as he wanted me, and it was okay to think that way, because it was true.

"I'll never leave again…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter... Is the last... *sniffles*


	27. One Year Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Couple of warnings... Lots and lots of side couples... And a bottom Levi *cough cough*   
> Anyway, for those who follow me on FF.net as well, you know there's an epilogue. To those who don't... Hey guys! There's an epilogue coming! XD

**A Forged Wedding** **  
**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:** **  
** **"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"** **  
** **"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse** **  
** **Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)**

* * *

**Chapter 27: Final Chapter** **  
** **One Year Later** ****  


* * *

Everything about him, his eyes, ears, lips, and pretty much all if his body was single handedly the best thing I could ever own.

"E-Eren..."

And his voice too, but he wouldn't stop trying to muffle it.

I lifted my head from his shoulder and looked up at him. The way his brows were furrowed, the way his eyes were closed tight, how his cheeks were flushed with so much color I had ever seen on him before, and how his slightly swollen lips were parted to let out sweet sounds gave off the essence of cute, which I didn't know was something he could do, and I would never mention it for fear of being beaten to a pulp. Regardless, I had no issues with it, and I continued my little mission of marking up with collar bone with as many hickies as I could in such a short time span.

"Stop trying to be quiet, Levi. I-I wanna hear you," Stuttering didn't make me feel any more like a man, which I was trying to pull off at this moment. Or maybe I was trying to make it seem like I knew what I was doing when, in reality, I was as clueless as any virgin. I wasn't very sure anymore.

"D-Damn bra-Ah!" Levi's head jolted back with a breathy gasp of surprise, and I grinned.

Found it.

I grabbed at Levi's hips, albeit harshly with my slippery grip (slippery because of the lube). I helped him as he sat up, and then forced his hips down fast. His nails dug into the skin of my neck, but I only shivered at the minimal pain as I continued helping him. I readjusted my legs from under him, but only so I could thrust up and meet his increasingly erratic pace. His head fell against my shoulder, where I cradled him close, and I relished in the sounds that he released.

Sounds of pleasure that I gave him.

I grabbed at Levi's cock that had been rubbing against my hips, and I rolled my thumb over the tip while squeezing. Levi keened beside me, his whole body rolling forward and creating a serious friction that I knew would bring me to my climax if he did again.

"F-Fuck, Eren, I-I can't-" I silenced him with a kiss, and with a few more strokes of my hand, he came undone. He cried against my lips in desperation as I milked him dry, and his muscles tightened in all of the right ways around me until I came. The orgasm had literally been ripped right out of me, because I had been so clouded with thoughts of him that I didn't even notice it coming. However, it wasn't like I was complaining. I continued my relentless thrusting until he was too sensitive, and the sounds coming from his mouth became whimpers. By that point, I was spent too.

Levi was completely lax against my sweaty self; the only thing he could do was breathe really. I only had enough energy left to push us forward and gently lower him onto the bed. He flopped against the pillows, his breathing ragged and strained. His whole face was flushed from ear to ear, and it was the most beautiful I had ever seen him.

I looked down between us, examining the fluids on his stomach and my hand with slight curiosity, but more adoration than anything. I pulled out, wincing at the sensation, because I had apparently become sensitive too. My fluids leaked out of him, and I felt my cheeks heat up with a blush.

I would have used a condom had he not asked me to. Had he not said anything, I would have topped with one and made things easier for both of us, but he insisted. He insisted on being bottom just this once and he insisted on not using a condom. Why...? Well, I did have one theory, but it was morbid and gross; however, it was probably correct with Levi and his past.

Levi had been raped. He had everything taken from him at such a young age, and I could only shudder at the disgusting things they must have done to him. It could have been that he wanted it like this so he could get rid of those memories. He must have felt like he had been owned for so many years, and maybe, though it was only a possibility, he wanted to feel like he was no longer theirs.

This was just a theory though.

"What the fuck are you smiling at?" Levi had recovered in the time it took for me to watch him in all of his beautiful glory. I was apparently grinning too.

"How was it?" I asked, my voice a little hoarse. Levi rolled his eyes and looked away, a hand of his coming up to wipe the sweat off of his forehead.

"... It was fine." He mumbled, but I saw how red his cheeks were. Who did he think he was fooling? It surely wasn't me.

"Just  _"fine?"_  You didn't moan like it was fine." I pointed out and fell onto my side beside him.

"Well what do you want to hear? You're a sex god, Eren, and I can't stand the thought of your cock not in my ass twenty-four seven. Is that it?" He asked and rolled onto his side, though not without some trouble.

I couldn't have been more proud.

"Something along the lines, but if you could tilt your head to the side and pout it'd be even better." I retorted and leaned forward. Levi rolled his eyes again before sitting up to kiss me. It wasn't anything passionate or sexual; it was a simple, sweet kiss that we normally shared on a daily basis. I pulled away, and I smiled as I cupped his cheek into my hand. "I love you, Levi." I mused.

"Mhm..." He replied and rolled over onto his other side. I scoffed as I looked away, and my eyes just happened to chance a look at the clock by the TV.

 _"Oh shit!"_  I suddenly cried and jumped from the bed.

"Goddamn it, Eren! What are you yelling in my ear for?" Levi asked as he sat up, obviously very annoyed with me.

"I'm late! I was supposed to leave an hour ago and I'm late!" I explained as I tossed my clothes on haphazardly. It took Levi a moment to process the new information, but when he did, he simply groaned and fell back into the pillows.

"That's not worth screaming in my ear for." He mumbled into them.

"Hey, I told you we didn't have time for this earlier, but you didn't listen!"

"I never listen. How is that a shock to you now?" Levi looked up and asked. I audibly groaned before grabbing my keys from the TV stand and bolting out of the room. I shouted one last goodbye to Levi before leaving the apartment, and I fumbled with my keys to try and lol the damn door.

"Hey, Eren," Once locking the door, I turned my head to the voice talking to me.

"Oh, hey Mikasa, hey grandma," I said to the two of them. Mikasa was helping Levi's grandmother along in her wheelchair, because the poor women had given up on trying walking. She could handle a few steps, but anymore more hurt her too much, but Mikasa had no problems carting her around when she needed something. I think Mikasa actually enjoyed it too. "Had I known you were going to be out here, I would have left the door open." I said.

"What are you still doing here?" Grandma asked with a large grin on her face.

"You should have been at the airport an hour ago." Mikasa stated flatly.

"I know, I-I kinda got held up." I flushed multiple colors as I darted past them. "I'm going right now!"

"Hold on, Eren," Mikasa called out. I looked back at her to see her motioning me forward, and I walked up to her.

"What...?" I asked. Mikasa rummaged through her purse for a moment before pulling out a little compact and handing it to me. "What's this?"

"It's my bb cream." She answered. I gave her a questioning look, begging for an answer. "You've got a giant hickey on the side of you neck." She then explained.

I felt a rush of panic hit me, and I forced the little compact open to look in the mirror (why in the hell did these things come with locks?). Sure enough, all along my neck was a giant hickey that looked like someone had beaten me with a fucking baseball bat.

Now I knew what Levi's grandmother had been grinning at.

"Oh Levi!" I cried in exasperation.

"Yeah...?" Levi had, at some point, decided to join us out in the hallway, leaning against the doorway with nothing but a pair of sleeping pants hanging loosely off his hips.

"You're such a sadist!" I accused.

"Whatever, it's not like you don't love it." He sighed and pushed his hair from his face.

"Give me the strength not to choke you in front of your grandmother." Mikasa hissed as she pushed grandma into the apartment.

"Duly noted," Levi mumbled.

"Pick up some chicken and potatoes while you're out, Eren! I want to make dinner tonight!" Levi's grandmother called out from inside the apartment.

"Will do!"

* * *

Alright, so I kind of take back my last statement. I don't totally regret doing what I did and taking up that deal with Levi. If I did, I wouldn't have something I thought I could never have before, and that was a stable life with someone I was undoubtedly in love with.

It was hard having to tell people that, especially Mikasa. Yeah, as you can imagine with the type of person she is, she didn't take the news well. It was the first time I had ever held her back from actually trying to kill Levi. Levi didn't seem to care, and he didn't help with all of the sex jokes he made, but I was able to calm Mikasa down. She was and still is not very happy with the situation, but that didn't stop her from moving into a new apartment with Levi and I.

Levi said he was done with that old one, and insisted we move. It was even his idea to get an apartment with extra bedrooms so Mikasa and Armin could live with us. Even that surprised Mikasa and I, to which he seemed confused as to why we thought he was acting weird. Regardless, we went along with it.

Eventually, we did tell Levi's grandmother about our whole act. Even Levi was afraid, and he visibly showed it. Levi's great grandmother was important to him, more important than I could ever know, and I knew it scared him to do anything that upset her. Well, she didn't seem upset per say...

We don't really know what happened. We told her, more so I than him, because he was visibly shaking and couldn't speak very well, and she looked up at us with an odd sort of smile. She cooed, brought us both in for hugs and kisses, and then went to the kitchen to cook dinner.

Yeah, we didn't know what that meant either. We weren't sure if this was her way of saying she knew all along and never bothered to say it, or if she didn't know, but we were together now, and that was all she cared about. I could have laughed at how relived Levi seemed to be that his grandmother hadn't suddenly up and left, but I was just happy that he was happy.

So, like I said, I don't regret anything that happened. Had we not put on that  _"show,"_  we would have never been where we were today. And where was I...?

Running my ass off through a fucking airport right now.

"Eren...!" I came to a screeching halt when my name was called. I looked around, coming to find my childhood friend standing up from one of the airport couches and waving me down. I had to suppress a squeal of excitement when I saw him, and I chased him down and practically tackled him to the ground, suitcase and all.

"Armin!" I cheered.

"Oh God, you're choking me!" Armin laughed into my shoulder. I let him go and looked at him, making sure he was healthy and happy (an old habit since we were kids).

"Armin, you got taller!" I realized with surprise. Armin used to be as tall as my chin. Now the youngest one out of our little family was as tall as my eyes.

"Did I? I thought I got a growth spurt, but I wasn't too sure." Armin said and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, a major one, and your voice is different too." I picked up Armin's fallen suitcase and started walking forward, to which Armin followed.

"N-No it's not!" He yipped.

"It's just like you to get puberty at such a late age." I mocked as I shoved his shoulder. Armin rolled his eyes and shoved back, and to my surprise, he was actually able to make me stagger. "Whoa, lifting some weights there, buddy?" I asked.

"Shut up, Eren," He said and laughed. I laughed too, and I looked at him with curious eyes to see what else was different. Besides his height and voice, not much was very different. His hair was a little shorter, meaning that he must have just gotten a haircut, and his skin was a little bit tanner. Not as tan as  _me,_  but definitely tanner than his normally pale complexion. It must have been that weekend he got to spend in California, courtesy of a final class field trip.

"Hey, Eren," Armin said.

"Hm...?" Armin lifted a hand and touched my neck.

"Tell Mikasa that her bb cream is too pale for you." He said with a sly grin.

"Oh Goddamn it!" I exclaimed and rubbed at my neck. "Is it that fucking noticeable?"

"Yeah, but it looks more like you've got a discolored patch of skin." Armin explained as I finished wiping away the remaining evidence of makeup. "Now it looks like a hickey. Levi, huh…?"

"Oh shut up..."

"Looks pretty fresh too. Is that why you were late?" Armin bumped his shoulder into mine and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Oh God, can we not?" I asked and pushed him back.

"I'm just stating that you have an active sex life. There's nothing wrong with that." Armin admitted and shrugged his shoulders with a sigh.

"There's something wrong with your sex life. Oh wait, you don't have one." As soon as the words left my lips, I bolted for the nearest exit.

"H- _Hey_ , get back here, Eren!"

* * *

"Armin, do you realize that you've always gotten better grades than me? I mean, you've realized that right?" I asked as we came up to our apartment.

"I noticed it a long time ago, Eren." Armin shook with his head with a laugh. I scoffed as we walked up to the apartment door, and before he could talk again, I held up my hand to my lips in a silent gesture to silence him. He stayed quiet as I pressed my ear to the door, and I listened for something, anything really.

"It's quiet in there..." I mumbled. "We may be going into the end of a battle."

"Oh no, not a battle, Eren!" Armin gaped dramatically. I grabbed at Armin's hands and pulled him close.

"Armin, no matter what happens, just know that I love you and I've always loved you!" I cried with sarcasm.

"Oh Eren, I love you too! Now open the stupid door." He pushed me away with a laugh, and I couldn't help but join in as I opened the apartment door.

"No, you're just stupid!"

Ah, home again.

"That didn't take long." Armin mumbled, referring to the bickering we heard Levi and Mikasa doing.

"Whose older here?"

"You obviously. You've got sixty years on your boyfriend and I."

"Hey, don't bring Eren into this again, and I'm not that old." Armin sighed beside me as we listened to the two of them from the hallway. He looked around for a moment longer before speaking up.

"The new place is great, Eren." He said with a smile.

"Oh yeah? Can you believe Levi thought that this place was smaller?" I asked as we walked over to the living room.

"Mhm... Yeah, I can believe that. Are you complaining?"

"Of course not," I scoffed. We looked into the living room to see who was in there. Levi's grandmother was sitting on the couch, pulling a thread through pieces of popcorn, which must have been driving Levi insane. Levi and Mikasa were standing by the Christmas tree, arguing about something, but I didn't know what yet.

"Listen, it's tinsel last, lights first, dumbass." Mikasa hissed while tossing a piece of popcorn at Levi.

"Don't throw food in here, damn it." Levi warned. Mikasa picked up another piece of popcorn, and Armin and I watched with fear as she tossed it at Levi's head. "Alright, listen-"

"Look, it's the college graduate!" I suddenly hollered and pointed to Armin.

"What? No, don't bring me into this!" Armin squeaked with fear.

"Armin," Mikasa sighed in relief as she dropped the strand of lights she had been holding. She walked up to us and pulled him in for a hug, squeezing another squeaky sound out of him. "I'm so glad you're here. I'm so tired of living with these idiots." She said when she pulled back.

Mikasa must have been color blind. How  _anyone_  could miss that blush on Armin's cheeks was beyond me.

"Please don't bring me into this, Mikasa." He begged while looking down. "And it's nice to see you too."

"Oh, look at that. You've gotten so tall, Armin." She noted and pressed a hand into Armin's shoulder. Armin attempted to clear his throat, but Mikasa was already in another subject before he could say something. "Eren, please tell that idiot of a boyfriend that tinsel goes on last." Mikasa was not one to waste time, and she was instantly on me.

"Eren, could you tell your emotionless sister that tinsel goes on first." Levi said. I rolled my eyes, ignoring Armin's suitcase so I could sit down by Levi's grandmother instead.

"It's last, you dwarf!" Mikasa barked.

"Would you two stop it already? It's three days until Christmas and Levi's birthday, and you're both acting like a bunch of children." Levi's grandmother spoke up. "Armin is the youngest out of all of you and still the most mature." She gestured to Armin as she said.

"Aha, t-thanks," Armin really didn't want to be in the middle of this, and I wouldn't blame him. I had to sit through these two and their arguments every day since Levi and I made it official and said we were dating. While her reaction wasn't the best, it was still better than I expected from her. It was kind of like she was holding back, and all of the arguments she and Levi have had until now were her way of taking out her aggressions. I considered it better than nothing.

"So what is it, Eren?" Mikasa asked and went back to pick up the strand of lights she dropped earlier.

"Lights go on first. Tinsel is the last thing to go on." I said and shrugged my shoulders. Levi was quiet for a moment, simply looking at me and not at Mikasa who had a triumphant look on her face.

"... Can you blame me for not knowing? I haven't put up a Christmas tree in three years." He said and dropped the tinsel back into the box.

I'd never seen Mikasa force herself to not punch someone before.

"Argument is over, now no more for today." Levi's grandmother sighed when the argument was finally over.

"In that case, I'm getting a bottle of wine." Mikasa said. "I'm going to need it."

"Make it two," Levi practically hissed at her as she walked away, but not without raising her middle finger to him and leaving for the kitchen. It was like the tension was lighter now that the two were separated, and I felt better, like I could breathe more. Armin seemed to be in the same state of mind, a smile on his lips as he looked at me.

"You okay, Armin?" I asked.

"Mhm..." He hummed.

"You seem so out of it." I said and pushed at his shoulder.

"No... I just missed this." He sighed with a smile. I chuckled and patted his back, to which he tried swatting my hand away, but to no prevail.

"Well now you get to spend a nice, long break with us at home." I assured.

"Ah, home huh? I missed that word." Armin leaned back into the couch, his head falling against the rim of it while Levi's grandmother patted his knee.

"You're home, my baby. You can relax now that you've graduated." She said with one of her famous grins and went back to threading popcorn.

"I still have a lot of school left. I only finished this year." Armin laughed and rolled his eyes. "I'm so old."

"You're old? I'm almost one hundred! I've been alive longer than your great grandparents!" His grandmother yipped.

"Very true. My great grandmother made it to eighty six and my great grandfather seventy two. What's your secret?" Armin asked. Levi's grandmother motioned for him to be quiet with her boney fingers to her lips. She then pulled a piece of popcorn from the bowl and chucked it at Levi, who had long since turned to continue decorating the tree. It landed at the nape of his neck, and then fell down the back of his shirt.

When he turned to glare at the three of us, Levi's grandmother pointed to Armin and frowned.

"He did it." She explained.

" _What?_ " Armin yipped with surprise, and his voice cracked in that hysterical way.

"Arlert, don't be throwing shit in this house." Levi growled.

"It wasn't me! It was  _her!_ " Armin accused and pointed to Levi's grandmother.

"How could I with my old and brittle bones?" She asked as lifted her hand to shake it and whimper.

Suffice it to say, Armin was absolutely speechless. I, on the other hand, had practically fallen off of the couch to laugh my ass off. I wiped the tears away from my eyes, tears of laughter, and pulled myself back into my spot by Armin.

"W-Welcome home, Armin!" I laughed at him and pulled him against me by his shoulder.

"Oh no, I change my mind. Let me out of here. I wanna go back to my dorm." Armin whined and struggled weakly in my grasp. Of course he didn't pull away, and he ended up falling against my chest in defeat.

"You don't want to stay here with me or your girlfriend?" I asked. Armin panicked and covered my mouth with his hands, but it had already slipped.

"Oh, you have a crush on Mikasa?" Levi's grandmother mused.

"N-No, I don't! He's just kidding, he-"

"He's in love with her!" I yipped when Armin's hands loosened around my mouth.

"Shut up!" He squealed in horror.

"Shocker," Levi mumbled.

"W-What, you knew?"

"God, Arlert, are you that fucking blind? My grandmother can see it and she's considered legally blind. The only blind person here seems to be Mikasa, and that's unless she hasn't noticed. I'm sure she has and just hasn't said anything." Levi yanked on two strands of lights as he spoke, and Armin's face went from red to pale to red all over.

"She... S-She couldn't notice, I..." Armin practically curled into himself with the new news to him.

"Why are you so scared, baby? Your feelings for her are very sweet." Grandmother assured as she set the very long strand of popcorn down beside her.

"He's scared of losing his friendship with her." I uttered while turning my head, and I was rewarded with a quick smack to the gut from Armin.

Damn him; he got stronger. Does he not realize that he can actually hurt me now?

"It's not just that..." He mumbled.

"What it is then?" Levi's grandmother asked and set a hand down on his shaking hand.

"... Eren and Mikasa have always been there for me... And after I lost my grandfather, they were the only family I have left. If I did something to mess that up and if I lost either of them..." I saw Armin's eyes turning red like he was about ready to cry. "I can't lose the only family I have left... If that means I have to sacrifice my feelings, then I'll do it. I just can't lose them..."

Armin leaned forward to rest his face in his hands that were against his equally shaking knees, and I breathed out a prolonged sigh. I looked up to Levi, and he had taken the time to stop his task to listen in on the conversation

It wasn't much of a surprise; a year ago, we were going through the same shit. However, I got over myself. I stopped being afraid. I was willing to risk it all, and in the end, I got something a lot better than I thought I could ever have.

If only Armin could see that it could be that way for him too, but he wasn't like me. He wasn't as strong as I, physically or mentally. While he was incredibly smart and talented, he wasn't the most social of people, and let's give a big thanks to the douche bags who caused that for him when he was a kid. Because of that, Armin didn't know how to handle a situation like this. None of it, not even the idea of dating was familiar with him.

I felt so bad for Armin.

"Oh my..." Levi's grandmother sighed.

"You make very good points, Armin..." I said.

"Thanks..." He mumbled into his hands.

"... Let's see what Mikasa thinks about that. What do you think, Mikasa?" I asked while turning to look at Mikasa in the doorway.

Yeah, I had known that she had been there. She'd been standing there the entire time with a bottle of wine in her hand.

I had also known that she had known for years about Armin's feelings for her, I just never said anything. It wasn't my place to speak out, and this was his life; I wasn't one to poke into it...  _Much_. He needed to do it on his own, or he'd never grow up, and Mikasa had been waiting for the same things too.

And the look of sheer terror that came across his face might have been funny if he hadn't suddenly tripped over the coffee table upon standing.

" _Mi-_ Mikasa-Ah!" He took the whole bowl of popcorn with him, and I was honestly surprised that the glass of the table didn't break when it landed on its side. We all came to his aid, even Mikasa, and I was pulling the bowl of popcorn off of his stomach and sweeping some of the popcorn away. I wanted to make sure he wasn't hurt above anything else.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" Levi's grandmother asked from the couch, because she didn't have the energy to stand. However, Armin was terrified now, his whole body shaking. He knew Mikasa was kneeling right next to him as he looked at her legs and hands. He couldn't look her in the eyes though, scared to see rejection, anger, or anything else that could have been possible.

"I- _I_... I d-didn't..." Tears brimmed at the edges of his eyes, and I wasn't sure if he was pale or blushing. All I knew was that he was genuinely afraid, and for good reasons. However, when I looked to Mikasa, I didn't see a look of disgust or hatred on her face. There was nothing to worry about, but only if he'd look up and see that himself.

"Armin..." Mikasa said softly. With no response from him, Mikasa reached up and touched his cheek, her fingers brushing his bangs back. Armin finally looked up, and I could see the color returning to his face. Mikasa smiled at him, leaned forward, and placed a soft kiss against his lips.

I don't think I've ever seen Armin's eyes get so big in my life. It was comical, but sweet at the same time, it didn't last long though. She pulled away, her smile still on her lips, and Armin looked completely dumbfounded.

" _Ask her out,_ " I said, followed by a bunch of coughing in an "attempt" to cover it up. Who was I fooling? Probably any ant looking for the fallen popcorn.

"Ah... Uhm... M-Mikasa... Would uhm... C-Could you..."

"Spit it out before I die of old age." Levi reprimanded. Mikasa rolled her eyes before placing a finger on his lips and silencing his stuttering.

"After the holidays, we can go see a movie." She suggested. All Armin could do was nod his head frantically, silently, but happily agreeing with the idea.

Well, I was hoping that the whole situation would go a little bit differently, but he finally got it out in the open. Maybe now he could get on his life.

* * *

"They're here, they're here _, they're here!_ " I jumped up for the couch when the doorbell rang, and I bolted down the hall to get the door. Armin was just as excited as I was, and he was joining me in a festival of giddiness as I opened the door.

It became a cacophony of cheers and howls of excitement when seeing our old friends behind the door. Not much had changed between the three of them, well; the only difference was the baby.

Bertholdt was as tall as ever, and even with Armin's growth spurt, he towered over everyone. He looked a little pale, but with a newborn taking up most of your time, you don't get much time to get out of the house. Annie had always been pretty pale, so I didn't see much of a difference there. The only big difference was her hair, which was now a short bob. I assumed this was because she didn't have time to take care of her hair, and that was fine. Like I said, taking care of a newborn was hectic. Reiner was as muscular as ever, making both Armin and I inadequate in our sizes. Armin had never been very physically gifted, but hell, even I was a runt compared to him. He, however, hadn't changed a bit.

Did I mention the newborn yet? Yes, the little boy Annie was cradling against her chest had just turned three weeks old, and I was surprised Annie and Bertholdt brought him. I was sure they'd try to find a babysitter, just so they could get a break from taking care of him, but maybe they hadn't gotten to that point yet.

"He's so adorable!" Armin cooed when seeing the baby.

Yes, even the toughest of men, Reiner included, could turn into absolute mush. I was no exception.

"Annie, he's got your eyes," I praised while petting the babies fuzzy, little head. "And he's got such round cheeks."

"Bertholdt looked just like that as a baby." Reiner said as we all began herding into the living room.

"No I didn't. I was a lot fatter as a baby." He responded and poked the baby's cheek.

"Grew out of that, didn't you, Bert?" I asked and slapped his shoulder, his very,  _very_  tall shoulder. "Hey, Mikasa, look who's here!" I announced. Mikasa looked up from the string of popcorn (and it must have been two meters long by now) to see our old friends and she smiled softly up at them.

"Hey guys," Guys, as in she was completely ignoring Annie. The two of them never had a very good relationship to begin with.

"Can I hold the baby, Annie?" Armin asked, already holding his hands out. I was glad that he was able to break that tension that was forming.

"Sure, just sit down on the couch first." Annie said, though softly. Her voice had become softer in the time she had been pregnant and had the baby. Annie was always a quiet girl, and even though she was quiet now, her voice was gentle and kind. I didn't think that was possible with Annie, but apparently it was.

Armin scurried to the empty couch and sat down. He bounced in place as he waited for Annie to hand him the baby, and I was surprised by the small laugh that left her at his actions. She gave him the little boy, and Armin made small sounds and held the baby close.

"He's beautiful, Annie," Armin said and kissed his forehead.

"Thank you," Annie smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear, though it must have been out of habit. It all slipped back into her face, but she didn't seem to care.

"My turn!" I insisted. I sat by Armin, and he carefully handed me the baby. I turned into an idiot in an instant, making stupid sounds and poking at the baby's cheeks.

"You look really good with a baby, Eren." Levi stated flatly behind me as he leaned against the rim of the couch.

"Good, I love kids." I said and rubbed the little boy's head one more time before handing him back to Annie.

"That's good to know then," Levi said and ran a finger against the nape of my neck. I blushed and rubbed the back of my neck as I looked back at him. Levi only had an all knowing smirk on his lips, but I knew what he was implying.

"Mikasa, would you like to hold him?" Bertholdt asked. Mikasa looked up from the popcorn and shook her head.

"No, but thanks." She said and looked back down.

I swear that, in one second, the tension could suddenly kill someone.

"You don't want to hold my baby, Ackerman?" Annie asked with a low and dangerous tone. Armin and I slowly sat up from the couch and backed away. Hell, even her husband and Reiner backed away. I grabbed at Levi's shirt sleeve and pulled him back, and when he protested, I told him to keep quiet.

"Trust me," I mumbled. The two of them were having a death match with their eyes, and it was a bloody battle. Eventually though Mikasa sighed and set the popcorn strand down to join Annie on the couch.

"Alright, get down." Armin whispered and ducked behind the coffee table. I yanked Levi down with me, watching as Mikasa sat down beside Annie and held out her arms. Mikasa had never held a baby before, let alone shown any interest in them. I didn't think she hated them, but she never showed much care for them.

"Hold one hand under his bottom, and the other under his head. Make sure you keep him steady." Annie instructed. I wasn't sure if she was actually telling Mikasa what to do it or commanding her, and I wasn't sure if there was still a war going on. However, I could see why Annie was so apprehensive.

Mikasa was very skittish about holding him, and she wasn't sure what hand went where and when. Like I said, she had no experience with children, so I wasn't surprised that she was fidgety. I was surprised when Mikasa smiled, her anxiety seeming to disappear.

"Is it safe yet?" Reiner called from across the room to us. I honestly wasn't too sure. They wouldn't bring a baby into the middle of this, right? No, of course not.

I nodded my head and slowly stood up, afraid to startle the two girls. Levi stood up like he didn't care, and he probably didn't. Armin grabbed at the back of my shirt and watched from behind my back as the two of them seemed to smile like they were friends.

I was afraid for my life right now.

"He's  _incredible,_ " Mikasa mumbled.

"Thank you," Annie said and rubbed the baby's head.

"I kind of envy you now, Leonhart. I want a baby too." Mikasa said and laughed a little. I heard Armin open his mouth behind me, but he suddenly fell into a fit of coughing, no doubt choking on his own spit.

"I don't think she meant right this second, Arlert." Levi scoffed and rolled his eyes. "And I think you two can stop hiding like children." He said and motioned to Reiner and Bertholdt. The two stood up, and Bertholdt let out a sigh of relief.

"Did you really think we'd involve my child in this?" Annie asked, and I heard that undertone of boredom she used to express all the time when we were kids.

"Of course not," Bertholdt said and laughed nervously. Annie was glaring at him, and her husband looked away to find something more entertaining to do.

* * *

"No, you should have seen his face. Armin looked like he was about ready to vomit." I said with a laugh.

"Thank you, Eren. I'm going to remember this when you're on your death bed." Armin said and shoved my shoulder.

"It's okay, Armin. Eren is just messing with you." Mikasa said and pulled his hand into hers.

"Wow, it's so strange." Historia mused, her mug of hot chocolate to her lips. Historia and Ymir had gotten here the very next day, and the time spent was now spent on the couch and relaxing. We hadn't even hit ten in the morning and we were already tired. "I never thought I'd see the day where you two would be together. Then again, I never thought I'd see Eren so happy in a relationship." She joked with one of her bright smiles.

Levi leaned his head down on my shoulder, as if trying to prove a point. That or he was trying to show everyone that I was his.

"Ah, we've all gotten old." Ymir sighed and draped an arm over Historia's shoulders. "When the fuck did that happen?"

"Please, no language like that in front of my son." Bertholdt said and lightly covered the baby's ears.

"It's not like he's going to understand me." Ymir assured.

"Hey, don't be so sure about that. My first word was shit, so I'd be careful around him." Levi said, and I was rather surprised. I hadn't actually seen Levi trying to jump into a conversation before.

"Why am I not surprised?" Mikasa sighed and leaned against Armin. His cheeks flushed heavily, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Good morning, everyone," I and everyone else turned our heads to see Levi's grandmother stepping out from the hallway. She really should have been in her wheelchair, but she was stubborn, much like Levi. Everyone uttered greetings to her, and grandma waddled her way over to the couch Historia, Ymir, and Reiner were sitting at. "Armin dear, could you do me a favor?" He asked and patted Historia's shoulder.

"I'm not Armin," She said and smiled.

"Grandma, I'm over here." Armin said and waved a hand. Levi's grandmother adjusted the glasses on her nose and squinted to Armin. She then looked down at the youngest blond in the room.

"Oh my, I'm terribly sorry, sweetheart." She apologized.

"It's okay. You must be Levi's grandmother. It's really nice to meet you." Historia beamed brightly as she shook grandma's hand.

"Aren't you just a dear," She said. "It's nice to meet you too. What was your name?"

"I'm Historia," She responded.

"So you must be Armin's little sister," Grandma asked. Ymir snickered beside her fiancé, and Historia shot her a look of annoyance.

"No, I'm not." She answered.

"Cousins then?"

"Grandma, we aren't related at all." Armin explained to her. Levi's grandmother looked at the two of them, her eyes questioning them silently.

"Yeah, we don't know either." I said.

* * *

"You're tracking snow all through my apartment..." I grumbled and kicked at a small tuff of snow that rolled away.

"Don't be such a pussy, Eren." Jean growled.

"Is it that hard to wipe off your fucking boots before going into someone's apartment?"

"Do you wanna fight, Jaeger?"

We probably would have started something had Levi's grandmother not grabbed at our ears as yanked us down to her height.

"I won't have any fighting on Christmas Eve!" She barked at us.

"Sorry..." We both muttered in defeat.

"Just like old times?" Armin questioned.

"Oh yeah, nothing has changed." Marco laughed.

"Nothing has changed? Let's point out the baby for starters." Connie said and pointed to Annie who was holding her little boy. "They're married with a baby. Historia and Ymir are getting married in two months, Eren's got himself a boy toy-"

"H-Hey!" I yipped with a blush.

"Boy toy?" Levi questioned with a twitch in his eye.

"Armin finally grew a pair," Connie continued.

"Not in front of her!" Armin whined and buried his head into his hands. Mikasa giggled and played with the ends of hair sticking up on the back of her new boyfriends head.

"Let's not do that in front of my child." Annie warned while glaring daggers into Connie's bald head.

"Okay, okay, I'm almost done." Connie said. "Reiner is forever alone, and Marco and Jean are stupid idiots... Oh wait, that hasn't changed." Connie looked away, as if seriously calculating his thoughts.

"Okay, so what about you and Sasha? Nothing new now, huh?" Reiner asked, obviously offended by the previous statement.

"Hey, we were the bravest out of all of you. We've been together since high school." Sasha announced.

"We should be ashamed of ourselves...!" Marco faked a sob, and Jean sarcastically comforted him.

"Jeeze, what the hell is going on here? We're reminiscing like a bunch of old farts!" Ymir protested. "When in the hell are your friends getting here?" She asked and pointed to Levi.

"Erwin is never on time for things as important as this." Levi grumbled and leaned his head down onto his palm. As if the gods loved to prove him wrong, the doorbell suddenly rang, and all eyes fell to him to open it. I laughed at him as Levi stood up and began trudging to the front door, grumbling and all. He disappeared in the hallway, and in a few moments cheering could be heard. Well, cheering minus Levi. "Put me down damn it!"

"Hello everyone!" Hanji suddenly appeared from the hallway, a Santa hat on her head and jingle bells around her wrists and ankles. Erwin came out next, a fancy bottle of wine in one hand and Levi slung over his shoulder with his other hand on his ass.

He was drunk and I wasn't jealous. He was drunk and I  _wasn't_  jealous... _Damn it._

"I said put me down! Petra, how much has he had to drink already?" He growled as Petra walked in.

"Two glasses of wine and one bottle of beer." She answered with a sigh.

"Who drove?"

"Me, and I'm driving home too." Petra assured.

"Good, now would you put me down?" Levi said and kicked in Erwin's arms. Erwin walked over to me in a drunken stupor and dropped Levi onto the couch, his head falling into my lap and making him grunt.

"There we go!" Erwin slurred. I rolled my eyes and bent down to kiss Levi's forehead, to which Levi wasn't so appreciative with at the moment.

"Well, everyone is here now." I murmured against his cheek.

"When did our place become a condo for drunkards?" Levi asked and rolled onto his back. He may have been complaining earlier, but now he had no problem resting his head in my lap.

"When we made a lot of friends..."

"... I have friends?" Levi asked and somehow managed a pout.

"Stop it," I reprimanded and slapped at his hand.

"You are so cute," Historia suddenly cooed from beside us. I laughed, but Levi rolled onto his side and hid his face in my lap with an audible groan.

"Hey, Levi! When are we getting some wine over here?" Hanji hollered from across the room.

"When you get your lazy ass up and get it yourself." Levi momentarily lifted his head and replied. Hanji frowned at him while adjusting her glasses, and Levi scoffed. "It's three in the afternoon. What the fuck do you want wine for?"

"So I can be completely hammered and have no choice but to crash on your couch for the night." Hanji answered like it was an everyday question. Levi rolled his eyes before sitting up off of my lap and leaving for the kitchen to get the wine.

I looked around at the other, noticing that they were all busy, and I smiled. I carefully snuck out of the room, tiptoeing my way to the hallway closet. I had hidden my presents for Levi in there a month ago, and I could feel my excitement getting to me. I had been so anxious, and it took all of my will power not to spoil the presents early. I could give them to him now as an early present though; I had been planning to do this for a month as well. However, I felt my anxiety rising.

As I pulled his presents wrapped together in thin blue wrapping paper with a ribbon tied around them from the closet, I wondered if it was too much. After all, it was dealing with memories from his past, and he may get angry from the idea of what I did. I thought it was a wonderful idea at first, but was it too much? Was I pushing my luck with it?

I sighed. I'd already gotten the present, so I had no choice but to give it to him. Besides the possibility of seriously hot sex, I had no other presents to give him, and it was Christmas Eve. All of the stores were closed for the holidays. Why did he have to have a birthday that was on the same day as Christmas?

I picked up my little present and shut the closet door. I then walked to the kitchen, finding Levi standing by the island and pouring glasses of wine. I watched for a few moments with a smile on my face, because I thought I could hear him humming quietly to himself. I eventually walked up to him and wrapped my arms around him, feeling him jump a little from surprise.

"Happy birthday, Levi," I murmured into his ear as I pushed the present in front of his hands. Levi chuckled as he set the wine down and pulled the gift into his hand.

"My birthday is tomorrow, stupid." He said and looked over his shoulder at me.

"So...? Your Christmas present is whatever you want to do to me, but that could take all day. When would I find the time to give you my present?" I asked and kissed the side of his neck.

"You have high expectations for an old man like me." Levi muttered and pulled the little ribbon off of the gift. I watched while holding my breath and my heart pounding as he pulled the wrapping paper off slowly, as if purposely teasing me. He revealed the little cases of CD's beneath it, and I waited for some reaction from him while fidgeting behind him. "These aren't sex tapes, are they?" He asked and laughed.

"Of course not," I scoffed. I stepped back and pulled one of the CD's up to look at it.

"What are they?"

"... I uhm... Had the footage from the video tapes copied onto these." I said and looked up at Levi. He instantly seemed upset, and I searched for words to make things better. "I-I put the tapes back. I knew you probably wanted to keep those. I just had these made so you could carry them around with you..."

He still didn't seem too happy.

"I thought that this would be a little more convenient for you. You could put the videos on your laptop if you wanted and you could watch them whenever you want. T-The only difference is..." I reached into my back pocket and pulled out a small flash drive. I held it up, and Levi's eyes trailed to the little black device with curiosity. "... I think you know what's on here..." I mumbled.

I held it out, and Levi's hand shook as he took it from me. He didn't look upset, though he didn't show any emotion. He stared at it blankly, and I swallowed before continuing.

"I had it separated from the others and saved onto there just in case. I thought that you may want it for some sick reason of torturing yourself, but, if I were you, I would throw it away..." I suggested. Levi continued to stare at it, and I felt my heart speeding up within my chest.

Had I made the wrong decision? Had I pushed him too far? We had gotten over all of this a year ago, but these memories were still painful for him. I was only trying to help, but maybe that wasn't what he wanted.

"I-I'm sorry..." I mumbled. Levi's eyes looked up at me, and I swore he was glaring at me before dropping the little flash drive. It hit the ground, and without wasting time, Levi stomped on it, smashing it into tiny pieces.

I couldn't help but smile when he looked up at me. Levi grabbed at the front of my sweater and yanked me forward, bringing me to his height for a kiss. I wasn't honestly sure if this was his way of thanking me or trying to get me to fuck him again, because the kiss was so passionate, so strong, and his tongue was in my mouth in a matter of seconds. It surprised me, but before I could kiss back, he stopped kissing me. I thought that I was alone when feeling so breathless, but Levi was much the same way, even with the tinniest bit of saliva at the corner of his mouth. He wiped it away with the tip of his tongue, and I had to restrain myself from pushing him into the cabinets.

Our friends and family were still in the other room.

"I love you, Eren Jaeger..." He murmured while looking into my eyes, his breath soft against my lips.

"I love you too, Levi..." I said and pulled him close. Levi looked down at the CD's and pulled at one of the cases.

"Do you know what's on which CD?" He asked. I shook my head, and Levi smirked as he left the comforts of my arms to leave the kitchen with the CD. I followed close behind, watching as he went over to the TV and plopped the CD into the tray. He pushed it in and hit play, and he took a seat on one of the couches currently not occupied. I joined him, waiting for the CD to play.

When it turned on, the video began with Isabel and Levi on the couch. Isabel was sitting between Levi's legs, her tiny back against his chest with a book in her hands and lap. Levi had one arm wrapped around her waist, his free and hand and his fingers carding through her unruly hair. The smile on his face was so gentle and soft, and I could see the obvious love he felt for her.

This must have been old, because Isabel was small again. She wasn't as sickly as she once looked, but she still didn't look like a ten year old.

"And the... The pup... Puppy sa... Said..." Isabel was reading from the book, and by the environment and atmosphere, she was still learning how to read. Levi didn't help her though, simply watching as she read on, and for someone with such a setback, she was doing well.

"Oh my God..." Levi and I looked to see Petra standing by, her hands against her mouth. I already saw the tears welling up in her eyes, and one managed to slip down her cheek.

"... Are you okay?" Levi asked quietly. Petra nodded her head and wiped the tears away, but then she laughed it off like it was nothing.

"I forgot you had these..." She whimpered and rubbed at her eyes. "I-I forgot how beautiful she was..." The tears were already falling against her will, but she was still smiling.

Petra really must have forgotten. Well, not completely  _"forgotten."_  I think the memories had been set aside, and I felt bad for bringing the memories back to her.

"Who is that, Levi?" I didn't need to look to know who asked that. I knew Levi looked at him, but I couldn't bear the guilt of looking at Erwin.

"... That was my little sister..." Levi said and turned back to look at the television.

Erwin never got the chance to meet Isabel, but I was sure he still felt guilty. I didn't think Levi would play the videos now, possibly later when no one was around, but now I felt terrible.

"I-I'm sorry, Levi..." I mumbled and grabbed at his sleeve.

"Shush," Levi hushed and looked back at the TV, but his fingers linked within mine. When I looked at him, when I looked at everyone, I noticed that everyone was watching the video. I guess maybe I didn't need to worry after all.

"Go on, you can do it." The younger Levi on the TV urged.

"The puppy said, "I can do it," ass she... Ass..." Isabel suddenly gasped and shoved the book into Levi's face. How could one not laugh at that? "Levi, there's a bad word in here!" She cried.

"What bad word, where?" Levi asked as he pulled the book back from his face.

"Right-Right there! It's there on that page!" Isabel said and frantically pointed to the picture book. Levi looked at the words, and after a moment, he smiled.

"Isabel, the word is as, not ass." Levi explained.

"As…?"

"Yeah, as has one "s" in it. Ass has two."

"So it's not a bad word?"

"No, it's not a bad word." Levi said and ruffled Isabel's red hair.

"Did I say ass?" She asked. Levi snickered, obviously trying not to laugh.

"Yes, you said ass." I heard snickering from behind the camera, but the video disappeared before I could find out who it was. The next part of the video was already playing, and it was of someone walking down the hall. The person behind the camera walked into what I recognized as Isabel's room, and Levi was sleeping in Isabel's bed with Isabel on top of his chest. Petra suddenly walked into view, telling me that it was Farlan holding the camera, and Petra poked at Levi's cheek in his sleep.

"Wake up, Levi," She whispered. Levi groaned and opened his eyes, and when he saw Petra and Farlan, his statement was blunt and simple.

"Fuck, it's multiplying..." He hissed and rolled onto his side, bringing Isabel with him.

"She's a sweet kid, Levi..." Erwin said. I looked to Levi cautiously, but he only nodded. He didn't even look up at him, but I had a feeling that Levi couldn't look at Erwin.

Maybe it was the guilt.

I looked back to the video, and it was the setting was Isabel's room again, and Levi had her in his arms and was rocking her back and forth. The camera moved into his view, and he waved the camera off in annoyance.

"I just got her to sleep!" He hissed quietly.

"So...?" Farlan asked behind the camera.

"She's been up all night with a fever, and if you wake her up, that camera will be shoved up your ass." Levi warned.

"That would be some disgusting footage..." Farlan grumbled and left the room.

I looked over to Levi, seeing the smile planted on his lips. I was glad to see that he was okay, even with the video playing. While Petra was an emotional mess (all happy of course), Levi seemed content. I had been worried that this present would be too much for him, but I guess I was wrong.

I leaned over slightly, nuzzling my cheek against his before kissing the side of his mouth. He looked my way, his smile widening slightly. I kissed him quietly, but we didn't go unnoticed for long. Hanji had lost interest of the video, and her eyes finding us so she could let loose a loud wolf whistle. It startled everyone, including the previously sleeping baby, who began crying. Annie and Betholdt went right to work trying to calm him down, and I rolled my eyes at them before pushing my attention back to Levi.

"I love you, Levi." I murmured softly.

"I love you too, Eren." He said. He looked around at the others, and attention had slowly divided from the TV. He looked back at me, and I thought I saw the faintest hint of a blush on his cheeks. This could have been the alcohol though. "I think now would be a good time to give you my present." He said.

"Really...?" I asked, my smile widening. Levi nodded his head and stood, holding his hand out for me. I took it, and Levi pulled me off of the couch to stand. "What is it? What is it, Levi?" I asked in a childish manner.

I didn't care if Jean made fun of me for it later; I was a kid by heart. Levi, Mikasa, and Armin loved me for it, so why would I care?

Levi simply rolled his eyes and shook his head. He laughed softly, and he looked away for a moment before looking back up at me.

No, I was right. He definitely was blushing.

"I really am getting too old for this shit, Jaeger..." He said with a half-cocked smile. I laughed, but my breath caught in my throat when I saw Levi get down on one knee.

"... L-Levi?" I stuttered. Levi pulled my hand into his own, and I couldn't even register the startled gasps around me, the eyes on us, or the feeling of cold metal sliding along my ring finger.

"Eren... Will you marry me?"

And I'm happy to say that,  _this time_ , I did not faint.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He said yes.


	28. (Epilogue) 5 Years Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest... I forgot that I was supposed to upload the epilogue. I'm sorry! X'D

**A Forged Wedding**

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:**  
"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"  
"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"

* * *

 **Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse**  
Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)  
Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)

* * *

**Epilogue: 5 Years later**

* * *

If I were to say so myself, waking up to a heavy warmth against my bare chest, with brown hair tickling my nose and fingers barely skimming at my sides, was the best way to wake up in the morning. If I were to add the homey warmth of our house, the comfort of the heavy blankets and soft bedding below us, I was surely on cloud nine. I could have slept an eternity that way; I  _wanted_  to sleep an eternity that way, but reality was a cruel fate that I had to live with, and I had no choice but to wake up.

I rubbed at my eyes, clearing away the crusted goop at the corners that had accumulated overnight. The sun was leaking through the cracks in the curtains, and one particular beam of sunlight just happened to burn right in my eyes. I groaned and tried to roll over, but the heavy weight on my chest was stagnant, and what a pain in the ass he truly was. However, this was a reality I was fine with, with or without the damn sun burning my eyes out.

I looked down at him, only seeing the lower half of his body over his big head, but that was okay. I would rather have this than nothing at all in the morning.

"Eren..." I murmured in a soft tone, my arm that was trapped under his shoulders shaking to get him awake. That tuff of brown hair made a sound, his body moving in place, but then he stilled, obviously not intent on waking up any time soon. "Come on, Eren, get up. My arm is fucking cold." I grumbled, trying to sound more annoyed than I actually felt. It was hard though, so very, very hard when he was too fucking cute in his sleep.

"Mhm... Mh, five more minutes..." Eren slurred and cuddled close into my chest, his nails ever so lightly scratching my skin. I scoffed; twenty six years old and he was still such a child, and, five years later, I still didn't care.

"I'll make my grandmother's stuffed omelets if you wake up." I mused in a sexy tone, or at least as sexy as I could do at eight in the morning. Regardless, Eren's big, green eyes opened wide at the assurance of food, and a yawn stretched his face as he rolled to the side to free my arm. I leaned my head down into my hand, watching Eren stretch into a catlike position to wake up his muscles. The sight was comforting, relaxing even, and I found myself smiling at him as his nose scrunched up in that cute way it always did. "So food will wake you up, but not sex?" I questioned with a smirk.

I managed to stifle a chuckle just as Eren shot a tired glare my way, obviously not happy with the reminder. It didn't matter any more or less to me, however, and I continued staring at him while his tired eyes took moments to focus on me.

"It was one time, and I was drunk." He grumbled. He was referring to the time we got drunk (or as drunk as someone like me could get), just a week after my great grandmother's passing. Eren surprised me with two bottles of wine and a home cooked meal, but he and I (again, not so much me) got so drunk off of the wine, that one obvious thing lead to another obvious thing. I didn't think he'd fall asleep right in the middle of it, but I can't put all the blame on him.

I didn't think I'd keep having sex with him for an hour after he fell asleep. Maybe I was a little bit drunker than I had originally anticipated.

"We were both drunk." I hummed. Eren rolled onto his side, pressing his face into the crook of my shoulder and neck. He sighed, his breath hot and heavy on my skin like rain. I pressed my cheek against the top of his head, barely noticing the shudder that shook his body. He sat back, his hands reaching up and touching my cheeks with a mischievous grin. His fingers rolled against my cheeks, and I felt the way those annoying little hairs bent under his soft skin.

"Sorry, I didn't get the chance to shave yet." I apologized while feeling the stubble against my cheeks and jaw. "I'll take care of it later."

"Hm..." Eren hummed and scooted closer to me under the blankets. I felt his chest press into mine, and it didn't take a college degree in rocket science to know what it was he was implying. "Don't... I think I like a little bit of stubble on you. It's kind of sexy." He noted endearingly.

"You are  _so_  horny." I accused.

"You are  _so_  right." He assured with a sly grin while his leg precariously wormed its way between mine. Eren leaned in, lips searching for mine, and I indulged him, but only for a moment. I could tell where he was trying to get this, but I couldn't let it get that far, not now at least.

"Eren," I mumbled against his lips. I sat back, trying to put distance between us, but Eren followed. It seemed like the more I sat back, the more he pushed forward, and this happened until I was on my back with him sitting on my hips. "Hold on, Eren."

"What...?" He practically whined every time I would deny him a kiss. This eventually led to him dropping his head down on my shoulder with some incessant whining sounds and a few rolls of the hips coming from him. "Come on, Levi..."

"I have plans for us today, Eren, and I'd rather save it for later." I explained while rubbing the top of his head.

"But Levi,  _today,_ " He continued to whine, his hips stilling for now.

"I know, I know, but it can wait. Now get off of me so I can go make breakfast." I said and pushed at him. Eren groaned as he rolled off of me and onto the bed, letting me up so I could stretch my muscles. I knew Eren always watched whether I simply lifted my arms over my head or stretched my back out, it didn't matter. I could see the way my body affected his without even trying, which is why I always did it.

I loved to tease him.

"Got any requests for your omelet?" I asked as I stood up to smooth out the bed sheets.

"The way you made them last time was great." Eren uttered into the pillows. I looked at him, watching the way he sulked and kicked his feet out like a child. I sighed as I leaned over to kiss his head, hoping to mend some of his broken pride.

"Happy anniversary," I whispered against his hair. Eren grumbled into the pillows, something gurgled, but I could tell he was saying the same thing to me. To end his sulking, I delivered a heavy smack to his backside, which did well to make him screech. "Brat," I added.

Just like that, Eren bolted out of the bed to chase me. I made it to the bedroom door before he got me, wrapping his arms around me and pinning me to where I stood. I was met with heavy laughter by my ear, but I was laughing just as hard, maybe a little too giddy for his reaction, but I didn't care.

"I got ya," He cooed and kissed at the side of my neck. Normally I was immune to his advances, but  _shit,_  when his lips moved just below my ear, I was fucked. That one spot was probably my biggest flaw among the others, and my knees buckled from under me as he sucked what could have been a decent sized hickey onto my skin. I held back as much of the noise that wanted to escape me as possible, but something morphed left my trembling lips.

"F-Fucking brat..." I stuttered before sighing. I felt Eren's lips spread in a smirk against my skin, a small, hushed chuckle leaving him as his hand snaked up my chest.

Damn brat.

* * *

"Levi...?"

I lifted my head from the basket of food in my hands to the direction the voice came from.

"Petra...?" I asked, watching the women walk over to me with a smile on her lips.

"Finally got out of the house I see." She jokingly stated while tucking her hair behind her ear.

"We haven't been spending that much time there." I rolled my eyes at her, but she was right in some ways. Since Eren and I bought our new house, we haven't really left it. We took a week off for our anniversary, and then... Well, it shouldn't be hard to guess what we did most of that time, and in most of the house.

I hadn't seen her in a week, but it did feel like forever. Maybe it was because a lot had changed in five years. Her hair had gotten longer, but she kept it at a certain length just a little but below her shoulders, and age had slowly worked its way on her. Not by much, because she was still as beautiful as ever, but her face had matured some within five years.

"Uh huh..." Petra hummed skeptically. I was prepared to retort, ready to argue with her, but from the corner of my eyes, I saw the little cling-on hanging from Petra's skirt. As soon as I saw her, the three year old girl hid away, pulling on her mother's skirt to cover face while she sucked on her thumb.

"Hey brat, what are you doing back there?" I asked. The little girl peeked from behind the cloth and her orange bangs to look at me, and as soon as she saw that I was still paying attention to her, she ducked again.

"It's just Uncle Levi, honey. Come on out." Petra said and stepped back. The little girl seemed frozen in place when she lost her coverage, and as I bent down to be at her level, she stared at me with big, brown eyes.

"What wrong? Don't you remember me? I wasn't gone that long..." I said with a sigh. The little girl lifted her hand that wasn't being sucked on and poked at my cheek. Doing this made her smile brightly, her tiny teeth shining against her thumb as she laughed.

"Hi Levy!" She suddenly cheered and held out her arms for me. I smiled and pulled her into my arms to pick her up.

"Hey brat. Long time no see." I said as she laughed. I pinched at her sides, making her squeal with delight, and I distantly heard Petra giggling beside us and our antics. "And it's  _Levi_ , not  _Levy._ " I corrected.

"Levy..." She stated stubbornly, and I rolled my eyes and looked at Petra.

"She's just like you."

"But she looks like her father." Petra explained and touched her daughter's cheek.

"Speaking of which, where is Aurou?" I asked and looked around.

"At work, but Erwin is here somewhere." Petra looked around for said man she was talking about, but he was nowhere to be seen. "He must have gone off to get something again. I was helping him shop for today, but he's being stubborn about it."

"How is he holding up?" I lowered my voice, keeping my eyes open for Erwin as I talked. I didn't need him walking in on this conversation. "I mean... Is he okay?"

"Well... Since the accident, he's been okay physically, though he still has some aches and pains, but he's still a little skittish in a car." Petra rubbed the back of her neck nervously, trying to keep quiet so her little girl wouldn't listen to it. I don't know why she tried; the little girl was still in my arms, her head on my shoulder and her thumb in her mouth.

"That man has had too many car accidents in his life."

"But this one was the one that did damage." She muttered.

"Is that you, Levi?" The voice from behind us made us jump, and I looked over my shoulder to see Erwin standing by, a basket of groceries in his hand. Well... His  _good_  hand. The other one, along with his whole arm up to his shoulder, was gone.

Four weeks ago, Erwin had been in a car accident. He'd been in the hospital since, suffering from fevers and phantom pain, and he was just released a few days ago. This one was by no means his fault. Some asshole driver clipped him while trying to cut him off at a red light, and the two had a collision with a truck driver and his fifteen foot truck. The man who clipped him died while arriving to the hospital and the truck driver luckily survived with three broken ribs. Erwin lost him arm, having no choice but to have it amputated. These past few weeks had been hell for him and Eren and I wanted to visit; everyone wanted to visit, but he wouldn't let anyone.

I assumed that he didn't want anyone to see him that way. Little did he know that I did visit him one time, but he was out cold and still on heavy painkillers when I did.

He looked like hell then, and he looked like hell now.

The poor man had lost some weight, most of it his muscle mass. Being bedridden would do that to anyone, but it looked wrong on someone like him who always had such a strong, defined body. He hadn't had a decent shave in weeks, and his hair was unruly, curled, and sticking out in different places. I was so used to seeing the neatly groomed, clean, and strong man, that the man standing before me was an absolute stranger. However, the relief I felt to see him up and walking, to see him alive, was more than I could describe.

"Come on, I have only been gone for a week." I scoffed at the man. I wasn't going to dwell on the issue, not in a grocery store and certainly not with Erwin around. The smiled a kind smile down to me, however, as he walked up to us, his basket of groceries hanging loosely from his arm.

"Yes, but I've been in the hospital for weeks. It's been longer for me than it has you." He explained and pinched at the little girl's cheek in my arms. She cackled and squirmed, her feet kicking by my sides as she looked up at Erwin with rosy cheeks and big eyes.

Petra was right; she looked just like Aurou. The only differences were that she had Petra's eye and hair color.

"No," She commanded in a disapproving tone.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry your majesty." Erwin apologized and kneeled down on one knee. The giggling beside my ear only proved how much she was like her mother. Looks aside, she was just as bad as Petra was.

"Bow down!" She yipped and kicked around some more in my arms. Oh yes, definitely like her mother.

"How about you bow down to him? He's got thirty years on you, little girl." I commented, and the comment seemed to fly right over her head.

"I'm three years old!" She chirped like that was an impressive number. I rolled my eyes before setting her down beside Erwin, who moved to stand. There was a brief pause, Erwin losing his balance and stumbling to one side. Like the good girl she was, Petra's daughter grabbed at Erwin's arm and held him still, helping him balance out. Petra and I came to his aid soon enough, and with a little force, we got him back onto his feet.

I saw the look of disappointment flash across his face. Being helped to stand was one thing, but I knew that it was getting to him. Having to be helped up on a daily basis, having to do anything at all with help, must have been disparaging to him.

"Uncle Erwin is old..."

"Nah, just a little short of breath. It's been a while since I've been allowed to walk without a crutch." Erwin attempted to joke, but I knew he was fooling no one. I knew that he was covering up the pain, but whether he was hiding it from Petra, her kid or me, I didn't know.

"No Erwin, she's right. You're just old." Petra sighed with a bitter smile.

"What does that make Levi then?" The man retorted.

"Hey, don't bring that up." I grumbled to him. The man patted my head like I was the child before picking up his basket again. I sighed as I watched the man walk forward and Petra's little girl grabbed at his coat and followed him. Her thumb was tucked right back into her mouth to suck on, and Petra sent me an empathetic side glance as she followed. I followed then as well, my own basket in my hand as I watched them walk.

I stayed quiet as they talked, but it wasn't really intentional. I was thinking, maybe a little too much right now, but I couldn't help it. My mind has had an odd habit these days of drifting off, of thinking of the past and then thinking of where everyone was today. I thought I had been the only one who did it, but Eren mentioned once or twice that he had done it as well. And when I thought of that, I thought of only Eren.

Today was our fifth anniversary, and things were still going strong. His sister and best friend got married after three years, and what took them so long I'd never know. Petra and Aulou got together a little bit after Eren and I had announced our engagement. A year and a half later, they were getting married. Their little girl came by not so long after, and the little brat looked up to me like I was God. I wouldn't lie and say that her comments about me being taller than her made my day better; I ever so rarely heard it.

Then there was Hanji and Moblit. After ten years of the two idiots being together, they finally set a wedding date. I would also being lying if I said that I didn't laugh at how nervous Moblit was when he proposed. Hanji's reaction to it was almost... Normal? Was that even a word that could be placed in the same sentence as her? The idiot actually acted like a normal human for once, and she actually seemed to care something other than science for once.

Life was going by fast. It felt like yesterday when I was hiring an eighteen year old brat to be my assistant at work. Next thing I know, I blink, and we're married, living in a nice house further out of the city. Every now and again, we talk about having a kid or two. The topic had been coming up more and more lately, and I was surprised at how lenient I was at the idea of it. I honestly didn't mind the idea of having a little brat of our own that we could take care of, and Eren seemed to be just as interested.

Had someone told me five years ago that I would ever be this way, I would have thought them crazy, maybe even senile like my great grandparents had been.

I never thought I'd be here today, and I had Eren to thank for that.

* * *

"Okay, I know it doesn't hurt that much."

"It hurts a lot!" Petra's daughter whined, her eyes still teary eyed and red from her previous crying fit.

"Okay, which knee was it again?" I asked. She pointed down to her right knee, the one that wasn't red or bruised by any means. I heard Petra snickering behind me, and I smirked as I looked her little girl in the eyes.

"I thought your 'boo boo' was the other knee." I stated.

"Boo boos like to move around a lot." She explained to me. Erwin began laughing behind us, and I scoffed before reaching up to tickle the side of her chubby neck. She squealed with delight before I set her down, having to pay the cashier for the groceries I was buying. She whined, hoping to be held again, but I explained to her that I needed to pay.

"Why...?"

"Because I need to make dinner tonight."

"Why...?"

"Because Uncle Eren and I want to eat something special tonight."

"Why...?"

"Because it's our anniversary."

"Why...?"

"Ask your mom." I finally relented with a groan. Petra laughed at us, ushering her brat by her side again so I could get the groceries. "I remember Aulou doing that to me once. I think he had been working there for about a week at the time."

"Yep, I remember that one." Erwin jumped in.

"So Levi, what are your plans for the evening?" Petra asked while helping Erwin set his stuff down on the conveyer belt. I gave her a look of annoyance, asking her if she was serious about such a stupid question. Without answering, the women just shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't see how that's any of your damn business." I grumbled. The little girl gasped and pointed at me, and I immediately winced at myself. "I mean darn." I corrected quickly.

"You said a bad word!" She cried in exasperation.

"Your mommy lets me."

"I most certainly do not!" Petra equally cried.

Gee, I couldn't fathom where her daughter got it from. A better question would be which parent did it come from?

"I'm sorry, brat. It's none of your silly mommy's darn business. Is that better?" I asked while looking down at her. With her thumb in her mouth and her big eyes looking up at me in an innocent and puppy-like way, she nodded her head, her attention instantly turning to the wall of candy right next to her. I would have said something to Petra, but my own attention was taken away by the sounds of my phone going off in my pocket.

I readjusted my grip on the bags in my hands before reaching into my coat pocket to get my phone. One look at the caller ID proved it to be Eren, my own guess correct by the ringtone, and I hit the answer button before it could stop ringing.

"Hello...?"

 _"Levi...?"_  Eren asked from the other line.

"Hey, what's up?"

 _"When are you going to be home?"_ It could have just been my imagination, but Eren sounded a little...  _Panicked._  Could it have been the static over the lines? There was a storm coming in, the dark cloud hanging in the sky proof enough, so maybe it was the interference.

"I'm getting ready to leave the store now, but I have to go grab something else really quickly from the wine store." I explained while holding the phone between my shoulder and ear.

_"No, I need you to come home."_

That time it was obvious. Eren sounded panicked, maybe even scared.

Something was wrong.

"Why Eren, what's wrong?" I asked cautiously.

 _"Please, Levi, I just need you to come home."_  Eren said.

"Why, Eren-?" I began, but the other line suddenly went dead. "Eren...?" I asked and looked at my phone. The call had already ended, leaving me completely blank to the situation.

"What's wrong, Levi?" Petra asked from behind me while I stuffed my phone back into my pocket.

"That was Eren. He said he needed me home." I said. "He sounded really upset too."

"I hope he's okay." Petra worried.

"He may just be trying to get you home early. Maybe he's got a special surprise for you at home." Erwin suggested with a sly smirk.

No, that was wrong. No matter how much I wanted to believe that, no matter how much I wanted to believe that Eren really had some sort of anniversary surprise waiting for me at home, it was wrong. Eren couldn't fake real panic, not like that. He was no actor by any means, and it was too obvious to tell when he was lying. He couldn't fake being scared, and he sounded downright terrified.

Something was wrong.

* * *

Rain had already hit me by the time I got home. I didn't even bother putting the car in the garage. I parked in the driveway and bolted for the front door, only getting a minimal amount of rain on me. It was enough to ruin my hair I tried to make look nice for today, and I didn't bother worrying about the groceries. I simply forced my way into the house, and the first thing I noticed was that the door was unlocked.

Damn it.

"Eren...!" I called out. There was no response, but I heard the sounds of voices coming from the living room. I instantly knew one as Eren's, and why he wasn't answering me didn't make any sense. There was another voice, deeper and older, but I didn't recognize it at all. Who the hell was here? "Eren," I tried again, a little more rushed as I made my way to the living room.

The first thing I noticed was the people in the room. Eren was on the couch, a hunched over mess with his hands tightened in to fists to the point that his knuckles were white. He looked scared, frantic, and when his big eyes swept over to me, I saw the look of desperation in them.

 _"Help me."_  His eyes were pleading to me.

I looked over to the person sitting across from him on the other couch. There was an older man there, maybe in his late forties or early fifties. He had long, brown hair tied into an odd pony tail at the back of his head, and round glasses that framed his eyes. Behind those glasses were a set of green eyes that were so frighteningly familiar that it gave me chills.

He bared a striking resemblance to Eren.

"Who is this?" I asked, not even bothering to set down the groceries I still had in my hands.

"Ah, L-Levi," Eren stood and walked over to me, his pace quick and his steps wide. It was as if he was just trying to put distance between him and this man. "Glad you're home. Uhm..." Eren's eyes moved quickly across the room to the man on the couch, who quickly got up with a smile on his face.

"Oh, so you're Levi? It's nice to finally meet you." He said and held out his hand for me to shake. I glared down at his hand before glaring back up at him, completely rejecting the offer.

"Who're you?" I asked.

"Levi, this uh..." Eren began, but he trailed off. I tried to look him in his eyes, but his eyes were downcast, his head hung low, low enough to the point where even I couldn't see his face. That was quite hard for someone like me to do with him considering he was so tall and I was... Short. "This... This is my father..."

Wait... What? No, I didn't hear that right, did I?

There was no way.

This man wasn't him. This isn't the man who beat him, who abandoned him, and for his own safety, he better not be. If he was, I'd go right back to my old habits of killing out of anger.

The man in front of me adjusted his glasses before clearing his throat.

"My name is Grisha Jaeger. It's nice to meet you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You asked for it. You asked, and I gave you what you wanted. Yes, I do enjoy this.


	29. Epilogue (Part two)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I mention that there was a part two to this...? No...?  
> There's a part two to the epilogue. XD  
> Yes, I'm just that mean. XD

**A Forged Wedding**

* * *

**Modern AU, based off of the Japanese game:**  
"I... Don't think I heard you right. What did you just ask me, Rivaille?"  
"I'm asking you to marry me for a month. How did you not hear me right?"

* * *

 **Rated M for sexual content, adult language, violence, mentions of child abuse**  
Couple: Riren (Rivaille and Eren)  
Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)

* * *

**Epilogue: Part Two (Because I love you~ And you wouldn't leave me alone. XD)**

* * *

God forbid this shit was true.

If this was him, if this was Eren's father, if this was the man that beat Eren when he was just a baby, I was going to lose it. All of that shit I used to do in my days as a criminal would come right back at me.

I'd kill the son of a bitch.

What was he doing here? What was he doing back in Eren's life after he abandoned him? How did he even find Eren? Why, how? Where were the answers?

Why was he just standing there, waiting for me to shake his hand when I was making it clear I wasn't going to? I could be damn intimidating, so why wasn't he getting the point? Why did he have such a happy grin on his face? What was he smiling for?

This bastard had abandoned Eren, Mikasa and Armin when they needed family the most. They were left to fend for themselves all because of this selfish man. They had nothing, and it was because if him.

"Eren-" I began, ready to get my answers by any means necessary. However, the look in his big eyes shut me up. He wasn't showing it, but I could read the fear in his eyes. He was scared, horrified, and he looked like he was about ready to vomit. His normally tan skin was a little paler than I had seen it this morning, and his pupils were blown far out of proportion. They took up most of the iris of his eyes, and they were begging, practically screaming at me.

_"Help me."_

I only had one thing in mind that could help him, but Eren didn't need any more mental scarring. He didn't need to see me tear this bastard limb from limb and burn each individual piece in a bonfire like I did his fucked up belt. I would ensure that he suffered every terrible torture there was to this world, and, after I was done with him, I would make sure he had a one way ticket to hell's gate.

No, Eren didn't need to see that. He didn't need to see me kill the man who brought him into this world. And what a sad fact that was.

How could they be related? Eren was nothing like his father, and he looked more like his mother than anyone else. He was too kind, too loving and caring to be anything like him. He loved kids, loved holding them and taking care of them. Hell, he treated Annie's five year old like his own son.

It was still over his head though, still holding him down. I knew it was one of his fears, though he never spoke of it.

He was afraid of ending up like him.

The only thing that wavered him from adopting was the fear of hurting his own child, which I knew he would never do. It was such a taboo topic between us though. We never talked about it.

It must have been a hard fact to know that he was that man's product everyday all of his life.

I opened my mouth, ready to speak up. I was prepared to kick this man out of our house and have him arrested, but Eren grabbed at my wrist and tugged me back before the first syllables left my mouth.

"Help me make some snacks, Levi." He said and pulled me with him to the kitchen. "Just sit down and relax, dad! We'll be right back!"

From the kitchen, I heard his father's reply. A simple, "Okay, son! Take your time!" from him.

What rights did this man have to call Eren his son? And how did he not hear the urgency and anxiety in Eren's voice?

I looked back at Eren, watching him as he suddenly paced back and forth by the counters. His hands instantly went up to his hair to pull, a small, quiet sound akin to a shriek trapped within his throat leaving his lips. I wasn't really sure of the situation yet, so what could I possibly say? What could I do?

I couldn't help Eren, not now at least. Could I try to calm him down? Sure, but I couldn't say it would work. His father had disappeared a little over eight years ago, and everyone just assumed he was dead. With Eren's reaction, it was easy to see that he thought the same things. He thought his father was dead too, and now the man was here, sitting in our living room and waiting for us.

What was that man even thinking?

"Eren," I began.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Levi, I'm sorry!" He apologized over and over again. I was glad this house had such thick walls. Without them, his father would have surely come in to see what was wrong. I clicked my tongue before moving to his side and stopping him from his erratic behavior. I grabbed at his arms and got them out of his hair, but his hands were fists in mere seconds.

With his arms out of the way, I saw the tears streaming down his cheeks like a terrible leak, and I saw the redness surrounding his eyes and nose. His eyes were already swollen, and I can't say that I'm not surprised by how well Eren held up for so long.

"Eren, stop." I said with as much authority as I could come up with, but even my voice wavered to the situation.

"I'm sorry-"

"Eren, I told you to stop." Eren's head fell against my shoulder, his body shaking as he sobbed with heavy gasps into my coat. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, keeping him close as I gently rocked us back and forth. I knew this wasn't going to help much, but I was going to do anything to try. "Eren, what is he doing here?" I asked softly.

"I-I don't know..." He sobbed, his hands tightening around my waist.

"How did he know where you were? How did he find you here?"

"I don't know, Levi! I don't know..."

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Please don't cry, Eren..." I placed a hand on the back of his head, my fingers gently carding through his brown hair and my nails lightly scrapping at his scalp. I knew what calmed him down, but I didn't know how much good it would do now. This was too much, especially for him.

Why was he  _here?_

"Levi..."

"Shush, it's alright..." I pulled back to lift Eren's head, but only a little. I kissed at what I could get of his forehead, and I felt the small sigh of relief against my neck as he tried to pull himself together.

"There you go..."

"Levi, I'm sorry..." He mumbled, the pain in his voice rising.

"I told you to stop-"

"I lied to him..." His words caught me off guard, enough to make me step back some so I could see his face, but he kept it hidden behind his bangs. I couldn't know what he was thinking when he hid his eyes like this.

"What did you lie about?" I asked carefully. Eren rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand, and I took the time to hold his hand within mine, feeling the tears on his already damp skin.

"I... I got scared... I was afraid of what he'd do if I told him the truth, and when he asked about you, I... I-I lied and said you were a friend who lived with me... I said you were a pen pal from France, and... And you moved down here to live with me some years ago..."

Oh, so that's what it was. This was why he was apologizing. This was why he was so upset.

"I was afraid he'd be upset with me! I-I thought that if he knew I was married to you, he'd-"

"Eren, don't even finish that sentence." I warned and grabbed at his shoulders. The way I spoke took him by surprise, his eyes widening and the tears halting for the time being. I couldn't say that I wasn't surprised by my own voice either, because I was. I hadn't meant to sound so... Angry? Was that it?

Either way, I wanted to get my point across, and I sure as hell would do it.

"Don't apologize for trying to protect yourself, Eren. Don't you dare. You're right; he could have done anything to you, or maybe he would have done nothing. It doesn't matter. You were doing what you could to stay safe, and I'm not angry at you for it. I'm glad you're safe; that's all that matters to me, okay?"

The words seemed to catch him off guard. Maybe he really was expecting me to hate him for the lie, but of course I couldn't. From what it sounded like, his father wouldn't be too keen on Eren being married to a man. Knowing his past, what would he actually do to him?

Would he have gone off in a blind rage? Would he have tried to talk Eren out of it?

Would he have hurt him?

Eren was only trying to protect himself. He was safe now, and that was all that mattered to me. I didn't care if he lied about our relationship. I was here now, so whatever happened, happened, and I would pity his father if he tried something.

"Eren," I said softly and touched his cheek. I felt warm liquid trapped between our skin, and I stood on my toes to kiss away what remained of his drying tears. "Look at me...?" I pleaded with him.

Eren's green eyes, normally so bright with intensity and vibrant with life, looked up at me. They were glassy from the tears, but showed a broken and defeated soul. It shocked my heart into skipping beats, surprised me enough into breathing out cold air.

This wasn't happening. I wasn't going to lose him.

"Eren..." I repeated and pressed our foreheads together. "Listen to me. With being here, with this surprise, with whatever he wants, it doesn't change anything. Don't let it get to you, please." Yeah, I was begging, and I didn't give a shit for what people thought. "I can't see that person from you, Eren, not again."

"That person...?" He questioned.

"When I hired you, you were a sniffling, little brat who was barely making it by. There were so many times I saw how broken you really were, even when you thought you were hiding it, but you've done so well over the years, Eren. You're finally healing, and I'm not losing you now just because he's here. Don't let this put you back into that dark place, Eren. Don't walk away from this thinking any different than you did this morning. We're still married, we're still living together, and I'm still in love with you. That won't change, but only if you stay with me, got it?"

I might have let the situation get to me, and I might have let my emotions show, but I didn't care. I couldn't care less.

I hired a child seven years ago with the hopes that he'd be able to make a decent coffee and could file paperwork into its proper locations. That kid was gone now, and he grew up to be an incredible, kind, caring, and loving man that I was madly in love with. Suddenly, his father comes into the picture, and that little kid is back, wiping his tears and snot on his shirt with heaving and heavy sobs.

That wasn't happening. I wasn't losing Eren to this man. I wasn't losing him without a fight, and if it killed me, well then so be it.

"Eren, that isn't you anymore. What happened in the past is done, and look who you are now. Who are you now, Eren?" I asked, our eyes only now breaking off from staring as Eren looked away. He was truly questioning it. I was ready to beat him over the head and knock some actual sense into him, but his eyes lifted again.

When I saw that intensity return to his eyes, the smile that spread my lips made my cheeks hurt.

"I'm your husband." Was his response, a smile on his own lips.

"No..." I sighed, causing Eren to frown. "You're my  _wife._ "

"Shut up." Eren chastised and pushed at my shoulder. It was barely a push though, and I grabbed at his arm and yanked him forward. I got our lips together in a hot, searing kiss, because I was determined to make sure it was permanently engraved into his head. I was going to make sure he got the point, but it was almost as if that was his goal as well.

My lower back connected with the counter, and I would have hissed at the twinge of pain had Eren not shoved his tongue down my throat. The damn bastard was getting cocky, and if he kept it up, he was going to forget that his father was still in the other room. I pressed my hands into his shoulders and pushed, and with a whine he pulled away. He pressed his head into my shoulder, his breath hot and damp against my skin. I wound my fingers into his hair, trying to keep myself grounded to reality.

I nearly forgot about his father too.

"I love you, Levi..." He all but whispered in a breathless manner.

"I love you too." I murmured softy by his ear. "Now, tell me everything that you told him about me. We need to get our stories straight." After that sentence, Eren smiled, something gentle and bitter, but a smile all the same.

"Are we doing this all over again?" He asked with a small laugh.

"One more performance." I said. "And let's just hope it's the last curtain call."

"Well..." Eren began, his hands settling on my waist. "I really didn't say much. I said I met you online, you and I became pen pals, and you decided to move to America a few years ago. I offered you a place to stay, and you've been living with me since."

"And does he know where you work?"

"Yeah, and he knows I'm a lawyer and that I make some good money." He said with a small grin and shrugged his shoulders. "I said you worked with me, but I didn't say you were actually my boss."

"I'm not much of your boss anymore, but I get the picture." I retorted, and Eren laughed again. "Anything else?"

"No, that's it." He said.

"So now that I'm your pen pal, I guess this means I'll be using a French accent." I muttered and rolled my eyes.

"You don't have to go that far. Wait, can you do that?" He asked with mild surprise.

"It is not hard to fake an accent when you know the language." I replied with a heavy accent. Eren shouldn't have been as surprised as he was.

"That's really impressive."

"It's not hard. I can probably tone it down too, considering I've been living in America for a few years, and living with you." I rolled my neck, trying not to look as coy as I felt. Who knew that I would ever need my French again?

"Mhm..." Eren mumbled. After a moment of silence, realization of something seemed to dawn on him quickly. He pulled his phone from his pocket and began dialing, leaving me to question him.

"What are you doing?"

"I need to hear from Armin and Mikasa. I need to know if he's seen them already or not, and if he hasn't, they need to know he's here." Eren explained, waiting for someone to answer.

"I don't think it's a good idea to put Mikasa under that kind of stress, not in her condition anyway." I warned, but Eren shook his head.

"If he goes there unannounced, she'll be a lot worse off. I know they don't need this, but it's-... Armin?" Hearing the voice on the other line meant that someone finally answered. He was right, and there was no way avoiding this. With a sigh, I tapped at his shoulder.

"I'll go distract your dad. Don't forget snacks." I whispered so I wouldn't disturb their conversation. Eren nodded to show that he got the message, and I left the room, trying to cool myself down as I made that five foot trek to the living room.

His father was sitting on the couch, looking over the photo that had been resting in a frame on the coffee table. It was of Eren and I, but it wasn't in anyway revealing of our real relationship. It was an older one, a picture Eren has suddenly surprised me with when I was half awake in bed. Sure, I was shirtless, but Eren was fully clothed and smiling a big, dumb smile in the picture. His father seemed quite quaint at the sight of it, and with a sigh he set the photo down back down on the table.

"Excuse me," I said, catching his attention. He looked up with that smile at me, and I cringed.

Don't kill him yet. Wait until he gives me a reason to do it. Well, he had given me plenty of reasons to kill him, but not recently. I needed to wait.

"Hello," He greeted kindly.

"I wanted to apologize for earlier. I was not feeling well when I met you, but I feel better now." Roll on that accent like a shirt, and the man doesn't suspect a thing. I reached out a hand to be kind, though I ground my teeth together when he shook it. "My name is Rivaille, but you can call me Levi."

"Ah yes, Eren was telling me about you, Rivaille." My named rolled off his lips like it was second nature, and like Eren, he had a natural talent for other languages. I had once said that Eren was lazy when it came to learning, but he was actually quite adept at picking up any language he wanted, and French just so happened to be one. Well now I saw where Eren got that from. "You weren't feeling good? Do you mind me asking about that?"

"No, not at all." I took a seat on the opposite couch, hating the idea of being anywhere near him. I only wanted a limited amount of contact with this man, and talking took up a lot of it. "I was a little slow, a little tired. I had a glass of water, so I feel better now."

"You must have been dehydrated." His father assumed.

"Must have been."

"Make sure you have a few more glasses of water today. It'll make you sick with just one."

Fuck you.

"I will be sure to do that. Thank you." I offered a terrible and feeble smile, but that was all I could do in this situation. With that little speech out of the way, I had nothing else to talk about, and that left an awkward silence in the room.

What was I supposed to say? What was I supposed to  _do?_  It was hard enough attempting not to jump over the coffee table and kill the man with my bare hands. This was just fate tempting whatever patience I had, and it wouldn't have been enough had his father suddenly not cleared his throat.

"So, Eren says you work with him. Did you start working with him as soon as you moved to America?" Grisha asked while leaning forward to rest his weight on his knees.

How much did he already know? How much would he know was true if I spoke? If he was anything like my great grandmother, he'd know almost instantly.

Shit, what else did Eren say to him? What did he say to his father when I wasn't here? What was I supposed to say?

"I settled for a month before looking for jobs. Eren just offered me one when I started looking, and I took it." Fuck, I hoped that was right.

"He said you were a lawyer too. Did you have to go to school for a while to get a license here?"

Hell if I knew.

"Our manager was kind enough to let me learn while working for him. The laws are different here in America, so it took some getting used to." I tried a subtle laugh, but I had no idea why. I wasn't sure if he believed me or not.

"Yes, it definitely is. Has Eren been helping you while you stay here?"

"Yes, he's a very nice man."

"I'm glad to see that I raised him right."

Did this bastard actually not remember beating his own kid? Does he not remember abandoning him, Mikasa and Armin?

The list is too fucking long right now.

"Mhm..." I wasn't really agreeing, just voicing a response so he wouldn't continue.

"It seems to have worked too. I wasn't expecting such a miraculous place when I got here. I never dreamed that Eren could do so well, but he's exceeded my all of expectations, as usual."

I was ready to lose it. I was ready to question how he found Eren, ready to yell at him and say Eren had always been doing well, and had he been here to watch Eren grow up, he would have known sooner. Or better yet, I was ready to tell him that it was a good thing he left, because he would have just fucked up Eren's life until it was nothing but dust under the soul of his boot. I was ready to let him have it, but Eren's voice was right behind me, telling me that he was already in the room.

"Sorry for the wait, dad." I didn't need to look to hear the amount of panic still present in his voice. When I did look back, however, he had collected himself enough to look like he hadn't been crying his eyes out, but someone like me could see the real anxiety he was feeling. I wondered if his father was questioning the amount of rattling the tray that was in Eren's hands was doing. "It's nothing gourmet, but it's better than nothing, right?"

"Oh, is the butler out of town today?" Grisha joked as took took up a small sandwich.

"Y-Yeah, and our maid was doing a terrible job, so we're looking for a new one." Eren attempted to joke as well as he sat down beside me, tray set down on the coffee table so it wouldn't rattle in his hands.

"Oh, what a terrible job she's done."

I was very tempted to elbow Eren in the side. After all, I was the one who cleaned this house from top to bottom, and I cleaned it fucking spotless. Of course I knew he was joking, but there was still that twinge of pain I felt.

"Sure..." Eren replied hesitantly.

"Like I said before, this is a beautiful place. You've done well for yourself, Eren." His father commented before taking a bite from his sandwich.

"Ah, t-thanks." Eren looked away, probably not used to the amount of comments his so called father was giving him.

"So big too. Why did you pick such a big place?" His father inquired.

"I-I guess it was because I felt like it. I have all of that money, and nothing to do with it. I thought that eventually I'd be in a relationship with someone, and maybe they'd like to move in... O-Or something." Eren's voice fell to a small mumble as he spoke.

"So no important people in your life then?"

"Nah, not right now at least."

Yeah, that one hurt. I didn't think it'd bug me to hear him say things like that, but apparently I was wrong. It hurt a lot.

"Who was it that had a crush on you when you were younger? Was it that little girl, Christa was it?"

"You're thinking of Armin, dad." Eren joked. "And no, Ymir would never let anyone let alone me within five feet of Christa. She still doesn't."

"Oh that's right. How is Armin anyway? I knew he was planning on going pretty far for college."

"He's good. He uh, actually graduated two years ago. He doesn't live far from here now." I noticed the sudden fidgeting begin there. Eren didn't want to talk about Armin, and I could guess why. After the time we had spent together, Eren did open up a little more to the occurrences that happened in his previous life style. Apparently Armin had suffered the brunt of a kick from his father while trying to protect him, and now Eren was worried about mentioning him.

He didn't want Armin getting hurt again.

"Really...? Well good for him. What did he major in? Did he stick with psychology?" His father had some decency to seem happy.

"No, he actually changed it last minute to computer graphics."

"Computer graphics? What made him change to that?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I think the only one who knows is Mikasa. Anyway, he's making some seriously good money, because of it."

"Ah, and how is Mikasa? You haven't said anything about her yet."

"She's good too. She graduated last year, and she's got a really good job at this fancy fashion place in the city."

"That's great to hear." Grisha seemed relieved, but I wasn't sure if he was blatantly ignoring the fidgeting Eren was doing, or if he was just that stupid. Eren didn't like talking about Mikasa either. The three of them had suffered enough, and I was sure Eren was trying to keep facts to a minimum. Mikasa wasn't earning him any money now, which meant that he could do anything at any point in time if he found her. Of course Eren and Armin would never allow it, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try.

That's where I would step in to tear him apart.

"Oh, I'm sorry. This entire time I forgot you were here, Rivaille." His father apologized once he finished his sandwich. He leaned forward again, elbows against his knees while he adjusted his glasses on his face to sit higher. "You are from France, so does your family still live there?" He asked.

I felt Eren's hand nudge my thigh, just barely an inch or two away from my hand. I knew he was reaching to grab it, but for the fear of being caught, he stopped just in time.

"Ah, dad..."

"No, Eren. It is okay."

It  _was_  okay. He wanted to know? Well then I'd let him have it. It would be all the more fun for me to see his face when he found out that Eren was married to  _this._

"Are you sure...?" Eren asked softy, trying to be the loving husband that he was.

"Yes, I am sure... My great grandparents unfortunately passed away a few years ago. They were living in France at the time, so now there is no one left." I explained, my eyes looking away.

I had gotten used to talking about my great grandparents. I had gotten better about talking about my "parents," though it wasn't easy talking about them to a total stranger. However, if he asked about siblings, I wouldn't be able to do it.

Those wounds were still too fresh.

"Your  _great_  grandparents...? No grandparents or parents?"

"My grandmother had cancer. She passed away, and my grandfather passed away of old age. My parents overdosed on drugs when I was still a child." I said the last part easily, as if I was asking what kind of drink he'd like. When I looked up, I saw the look of surprise, utter shock, and maybe some terror written on his face, and I couldn't have been more elated.

"I'm terribly sorry to hear that. Is that why you moved to America?" In lieu of a better answer, I just nodded my head. I would let him think whatever he wanted, at least until the truth would be told.

"Yes, too many memories were in France."

If there was ever a better time for awkward silence, now wouldn't be a good time for it.

His father had fallen uncharacteristically silent after I was done with my story, and all that could be heard was the sound of the clock on the wall ticking away time. Had Eren not suddenly cleared his throat to prepare to speak, I probably would have started talking crap. His father would be so lucky.

"Dad..." He began. The older man looked up at us, his green eyes falling to Eren quietly. He knew what was coming, didn't he? "Why... Why are you here?"

It was about time he asked.

Grisha seemed confused by the question, as if he didn't understand what Eren was asking of him. How he didn't understand I wouldn't know, unless he truly didn't remember abusing Eren the way he did.

"What would make you ask a question like that?" He asked.

"Listen-!" I began, but there was a frantic knock at our front door that made me stop. I looked back at Eren, mentally apologizing over and over again for nearly blowing our cover, but he didn't seem interested. Eren stood, and I quickly followed so I wouldn't be alone with the man.

I would truly mess things up if I was alone with him.

Eren answered the front door for me, not a word about what nearly happened leaving his lips in the silence between us. He was mad, wasn't he? I wouldn't blame him if he was. I could have put us both in danger just now.

Behind the door stood a frantic couple, Armin and Mikasa. Poor Mikasa looked like she had just crawled out of bed, her clothes baggy and mused, and her hair unkempt and dull. It was such a drastic look compared to the girl who would go to work with shiny, clean hair, nice, wrinkle-free clothes, and a small amount of makeup (Like she even needed it).

I wouldn't say the same thing for Armin of course. He definitely didn't look as tossed around as she did, but he looked just as wide-eyed and panicked as she did.

"It better be a Goddamn joke, Eren." He practically hissed to my husband.

"I really wish it was."

"What's he doing here?"

"I-I don't know!"

"How did he even find you?" Mikasa spoke up and asked. "How did he know you were here?"

"We were working on that." I muttered.

"Shit..." Mikasa cursed, her hands clenching into fists by her side.

"Mikasa, calm down." I warned.

"Don't tell me what to do." She growled, her eyes narrowing like daggers that were just stabbing the shit out of me.

"I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for your  _baby._ " Just the reminder was enough. Mikasa seemed to remember that little snippet of information, and being reminded of it had her instantly trying to calm down. She took a few, deep breaths, but I noticed the emotions catching up on her. The deep breathing brought tears to her eyes, prompting Armin to hold her hand.

"I'm sorry..." Mikasa took in another heavy breath and sighed, trying to make the wave of emotions go away. It wasn't that easy though.

"Don't apologize, Mikasa. You've done nothing wrong." Armin spoke softly while rubbing her arm. Eren's sister nodded her head, the hormones seeming to dissipate, but for how long?

"I want to punch something right now. I really, really do." Mikasa whined and wiped at her eyes.

"You and me both." I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest. "Both of us have to keep our heads on straight today."

"Damn it..." She hissed under her breath.

"I'm sorry, Mikasa. I didn't mean to put this on you." Eren apologized profusely. "I just didn't want him finding you two and surprising you. You don't need that now or ever."

"It's not your fault, Eren." Mikasa assured and sniffled. Armin quickly reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small packet of tissues for her. He yanked one out and held it up to her, and even though he meant well, it was obvious that it was annoying her. "I really wouldn't do that right now, Armin." She warned with a side glare.

"S-Sorry," Armin mumbled. Regardless, Mikasa took the tissue from him and wiped her cheeks with it.

"Thanks..." She then sighed.

"So... What do we do now?" Eren asked hesitantly. It wasn't a question to anyone in particular; he was just hoping someone had an answer for it, but his eyes looked my way, as if he was hoping for the answer to come from me.

"As of right now, he's being civil. He isn't here to start a fight, so we need to keep it that way. For now we need to play nice, act just like him and pretend that the past never happened. We need to play big, happy family until we get answers out of him. Once that happens, we'll go for there."

"I'm not playing nice with him." Mikasa growled.

"Neither am I. I'm just keeping quiet. I suggest you do the same." I instructed, but she still didn't like it.

"So we just keep up with this act. Then what...?" Armin asked.

"Like I said, we go from here. Right now, his father believes I'm a pen pal of Eren's who moved here from France a few years ago. He doesn't know we're in a relationship let alone married, so we need to be quiet about that." I said carefully.

"I can do that." Armin assured.

"I can try," Mikasa mumbled. Armin held onto her hand and smiled, and for the first time in a while, Eren's sister finally smiled back.

"Well then let's ago." I said. Their steps were hesitant, but eventually the three of them got moving. We made our way back into the living room, finding Grisha still sitting on the couch and patiently waiting for us. He looked up when he heard us walk in, his eyes widening when he saw the other bodies now present in the room. In disbelief he stood up, and somehow it sickened me how happy he was to see them.

"Mikasa, Armin...? Is that really you...?"

"Hi, Mr. Jaeger..." Armin mumbled while looking to the floor. Somehow I saw a simple teenager again; no doubt this was how he always was around him.

"Hi..." Mikasa said softly.

"My God, look at you two. Look how much you've grown up." He walked over towards us, and I didn't miss the way Armin almost stepped in front of Mikasa to keep distance between the two. He didn't, only because he was trying to keep things quiet, but it was obvious how much he really wanted to. He didn't want to start anything, and I was glad. He was still the most level-headed out of all of us.

"I-It's been a while..." Armin said quietly, but the squeak that left him when Grisha pulled him in for a hug was laughable. Yeah, he never grew out of that.

"You've gotten so tall, Armin. I thought you'd stay that size forever." Grisha openly joked.

"Yeah, s-so did I…"

"And Mikasa..." When green eyes adverted to Eren's sister, Armin's fists clenched by his sides. How much was he really holding back? I could only wonder. "You've become so beautiful, just like I knew you would. You're practically glowing with it."

It's because she's pregnant, ass-hat.

Although Mikasa had always been beautiful, the glow was from the hormones. He must not have noticed the smallest of bumps already forming on her belly or the way she ground her teeth together trying not to kill him.

"Thank you..." She mumbled quietly.

"And look how long your hair has gotten." Grisha admired while touching the side of her face to brush her bangs back behind her ear. The way she flinched was somehow frightening in a way; this girl was fearless after all. What was she doing flinching to this piece of trash?

It must have been the fear of her baby getting hurt, not herself, and by the way Armin suddenly spoke up, that was his concern as well. It was mildly surprising he didn't jump Grisha while he had the chance.

"It's been a while, Mr. Jaeger. What have you been up to?" Leave it to Armin to surreptitiously get to the point. He wasn't going to wait for answers, and the way he tried ushering everyone back to the couches just proved.

"Ah, a little of this and a little of that. Got a job at a big hospital in Arizona, and I've been working there for a few years. They put me with all of the babies, so I'm a gushing mess every day." Grisha explained as he sat down.

"Arizona...? Why there?" Mikasa asked. A better question would be how long had he been there? If he had been there all of this time, why would he be there? What was there that wasn't with his own family?

"Good weather, nice scenery, and lots of job opportunities." His answer really didn't make sense. It didn't answer anything to what we wanted to know.

"Sounds more like a vacation than a place to work and live." Armin tried lightening the mood with a joke, but the tension in the air didn't lighten up by any means.

"Sometimes if really feels that way. When you get the chance, you should all come down with me and have a vacation. There's plenty of things to do there, and you're always welcome to stay at my place, but I must warn you, it's a total man cave."

"Very appreciated." Mikasa grumbled and looked at the floor. This managed to pull a laugh from Armin, and Mikasa obviously forced a smile. I looked over to Eren, expecting the same reaction, but it couldn't have been further away unless he really tried.

Eren's head was hung low, his hands sitting against his legs in fists. I could see his nails digging into the palms of his hands, and with a quick side glance to make sure Grisha wasn't looking, I grabbed at his hand and pulled.

Fuck, his grip was strong. I had to wedge my fingers through his just to get him to relax his grip. When he was relaxed though, I had to let go. I could run the risk of his father figuring us out.

"Eren..." I said in a soft whisper. He didn't budge and inch.

"It was like that time the stairs on his tree house broke. I still feel like a rib is out of place." Their conversation came back to me, and with one more glance at my husband, I looked back over to the others.

Armin was rubbing at his chest, poking at his sides as he sat back. Mikasa was looking at the area he was motioning to, her eyes seeming fixed on him so she didn't have to look at Grisha.

"Maybe I can take a look at that. If it really is out of place, we can see about getting it fixed."

"I'm not having my ribs broken for the sake of fixing it." Armin said disapprovingly.

"You sound just like Eren. He was always like that, not wanting to go to the hospital for injuries." Eren's hands suddenly clenched in his lap again, his nails digging back into his palm. I saw blood suddenly seep into the free edges of his nails, and I seriously didn't care what Grisha thought of us. I grabbed at his hands and pulled, but his grip wasn't relaxing.

Grisha wasn't mentioning something. I'm guessing there was a very good reason as to why Eren never wanted to go to a hospital, or maybe he did and his father never took him. Regardless, it was pissing Eren off, and I knew he wasn't going to last much longer.

"Oh, and the time that we got that new television, and Eren thought the box was empty. So he tried jumping on the box, and the whole thing broke. He had staples and glass stuck in his feet and leg-"

 _"Damn it!"_  Eren's voice suddenly bellowed in a dark and low tone I had never heard from him. I jumped in place, scarcely noticing the others doing the same. The room fell densely quiet, his father's monologue coming to an abrupt halt as Eren stood up, his fists clenched by his side.

"Eren-" Armin began, but Eren was quick to stop him.

"What about when I got my first job, huh?" He asked. Tears made his green eyes glassy, and I had the presence of mind to get up and hold him back. "What about when we graduated high school, or when we got into college? What about when Armin's grandfather passed away, and we were left with absolutely no one to help us? Where were you then?"

"Eren-" I tried, but I knew it wouldn't work.

"What about when I got married to Levi? Where were you then?" The shock that came over Grisha's face was almost laughable. "That's right! I'm married to him! He hired me to be his assistant seven years ago, and we hit it off! We've been married for five years  _today,_  but where were you for those five years?"

His father was silent, his eyes diverting to the floor.

He didn't have the answers that Eren desperately wanted. It was that, or he didn't want to answer.

"Where were you at our wedding? What about Armin's and Mikasa's? Where were you when Mikasa found out that she was ten weeks pregnant? Where were you when we all moved into our own houses? Where were you for all of those times we needed you the most? Where were you for all of the times a father was really supposed to be there for his kids?"

Mikasa quickly stood up from the couch and left the room. This was too much for her, especially in her fragile state. I gave a quick side glance to Armin, but it wasn't needed. He quickly stood up to follow her and take care of her, leaving Eren and I alone with Grisha.

"You were gone for nine years, and everyone, everyone said just give it up! Everyone told us you were gone! Everyone said you were dead, and everyone said to move on! I told them they were wrong, they kept saying you were dead, but you weren't! You've been alive this whole time, and you haven't been there to help, not even once! You left us alone with no help, no one, so why? I don't understand why!"

"Eren!" I finally stood up and grabbed at Eren's arms, pulling him back to look at me.

"Why, damn it,  _why?_ " Eren begged for an answer, his body falling against mine. The physical exertion it took to yell, to get out everything that he had needed to say for so many years had wiped all of that energy from him, leaving him a heaving, sobbing mess against me.

"Stop it, that's enough," No more acting, no more accents, and no more hiding. Grisha knew everything, and that was all I needed to know. I was done playing games. "You've said enough..." I brought our foreheads together, hoping to calm him down some.

"I'm not done..." Obviously it wasn't enough. I knew Eren had more to say, but he was shaking too much to do it. I understood that he wanted to say anything and everything referring to his childhood, whether it was from being beaten to being left behind, but he couldn't do anything in this condition. He was worse off than I thought he'd be.

"For now you are." I told him, trying to hold his hands. I felt tears soaking the skin that wasn't covered by my jacket, and I leaned back, hoping to get rid of them. Before I could, however, Eren pushed me away. He kept his head low as he stormed out of the room, and only a moment later did I hear our bedroom door slam shut.

And then there were two.

With the silence surrounding us, my eyes slowly fell over to Grisha. The tension was heavy, and it was obvious that he felt it by the way he shifted uncomfortably on the couch. He went from holding his hands together to setting them down on the couch. When that was of no help to him, the man stood, attempting to catch my attention by clearing his throat.

"It seems I'm not of much help here. I'll just find my way out." He said and picked up his jacket that had been laying on the arm of the couch.

"You're just going to leave them again?" I asked, all accents and falseness aside.

I was done fucking around.

Grisha seemed surprised, but whether it was my words or the way I spoke them I would never know. It could have been possible that he truly was fooled this whole time by my accent, and hearing me speak with none of it took him off guard. I didn't give the man the presence of mind to have a proper staring contest. With my left side facing him, I glared the worst and most threatening stare I could make, something that would truly challenge anything I used to do as a fucked up teenager. It seemed to work, because his eyes widened behind the frames and glass of his glasses.

"Right now, when they need a real father to go up to them, take care of them, and promise them everything is going to be alright when it probably won't be, you're just going to walk away again? You're going to abandon them and leave them to fight off demons they don't know how to face?"

"Excuse me?" His voice dropped significantly, but I wasn't threatened.

I had dealt with worse than him.

"Listen to me carefully. If you walk out of that door, if you leave them behind again, then don't bother coming back." I warned. "Don't do this to them again. If you so much as even try, just watch what happens. I know hundreds of ways to hide a body."

Okay, that one was a  _little_  over the top. I don't need him sending the police after me for death threats.

His father was silent, his face turning away so I couldn't see what he was thinking. I saw the way his hands clenched by his sides, his knuckles turning white from the firm hold he had on them.

What would happen now? Would this be the turning point? Would he come after me and try to hurt me? Or would he go back to taking care of his kids like a proper father?

Would he even try?

Would he just walk away again? Would he abandon them for another decade and then try to come back? I had already made it clear that if he tried, he wouldn't make it far.

"What's it going to be?" I asked with a hiss. "I'm not a very patient man. Stay or leave. Make up your mind. It's not a hard decision."

It wasn't. Anyone could argue that it was, but how could it be? Either stay with your kids that you're supposed to love, or leave and stop hurting them? If you leave, it's probably the first thing you would do to show you cared in some way.

Maybe that's what Grisha was thinking.

The man shucked his jacket on, fixed it to sit right on his shoulders, and then left the room. There was a quiet pause, but after a few moments, I heard our front door open and then close quietly.

That was it.

He was gone.

_Good._

I left the room and walked into the kitchen, finding Armin and Mikasa hiding in there. Mikasa was leaning over the sink, losing whatever lunch that had been in her stomach. Armin was rubbing her back, murmuring soft sounds to her and trying to calm her down.

I wasn't sure who I felt worse for: Armin who had to take care of his very emotional wife, Mikasa who was mess hormonal and nauseous from morning sickness, or the poor baby who was losing its dinner.

"Hey," I said softy, just to let them know I was there. Armin looked back at me, a sympathetic smile on his lips, but he looked downright tired and defeated.

"Where's Grisha?" He asked while continuing to sooth Mikasa.

"Gone." That was all there was too it. Once again, no explanations and no answers. Maybe I should have felt saddened by this, but I couldn't help it. I was glad he was gone.

"… Good," Armin uttered. Looks like I wasn't the only one feeling this way.

"S-Sorry about the mess," Mikasa muttered. It looked like she lost all there was too lose, and with a relieved sigh, she leaned her head against the counter just for the sensation of cold to touch her sweaty skin.

"It's fine. Neither of you mean it." I hadn't intended it as a joke, but she took it up that way anyway. I opened up one of the cabinets and got out a box of crackers, handing it over to Armin who gave some to her.

"Here, eat this."

"Thanks…" She mumbled and gladly took some of the crackers.

"Don't eat those too fast. This is only to keep something in your stomach and make the little shit stop kicking." I explained.

"I read in a book that babies can pick up words quicker if they're constantly said, so I'd appreciate it if we kept the swear words to a minimum of none." Armin said with a small, nervous laugh and rubbed at the back of his head.

"I don't know about that one, but I know that babies can feel the mother's emotions. You two need to go home and relax, watch a movie or read a book, and get something good to eat. Mikasa, whatever you eat, just eat small portions of it. Your stomach is obviously too upset for anything bigger right now." I instructed the two soon-to-be parents. "And Armin, a baby can recognize the father's voice, so I'd read to it. It'd help all three of you calm down."

"Yeah, that sounds like a really good idea." Armin said and helped Mikasa to stand up straight. She looked like she had no blood in her body. Her skin was so pale, and for her that was normal, but even this was overdoing it.

"Make sure you have some protein too, Mikasa. You aren't going to like it, but you're going to need it." I said. She nodded her head in lieu of a response before slowly making her way out of the room, Armin at her heels.

"Thank you, Levi." He turned back to me and said. "No matter how much I read, I'm still really useless at times. I'm glad you know a few things about this." He added with a small blush dusting his cheeks.

"It's fine, kid. I'm more worried about you honestly. I'm worried she'll kill you before even getting out of her first trimester." After that, Armin visibly fell apart, shoulders slumping over and his head falling over. He released an exasperated breath before following Mikasa out of the room, not even bothering to glance back at me.

And once they were gone, I was finally free to go take care of Eren. I sighed as I made my way to our bedroom. This wasn't going to be easy, and after what I did, he was probably really pissed off at me right now. If he didn't want to talk to me right now, that was fine. I just had to make sure he was okay.

I just needed to see him.

I slowly opened our door, peeking past the frame just to look inside. The curtains were closed, leaving the room dark, but I could still see Eren's silhouette on the bed. He was sitting on the side, hunched over his knees with his face hiding in his hands. From here, I could see the subtle shivers in his body, and I could hear the small, heavy gasps he took to calm himself. He wiped at his eyes and cheeks, trying to get rid of the obvious tears that were there, but I knew as well as he did that it wasn't going to help.

"Eren…?" I called out quietly to him. Eren quickly cleared his throat, pulling at the collar of his shirt so he could do damage control, but it didn't work. "Come on, Eren. I'm not so old that I'm that blind…" I mumbled as I walked into the room and shut the door behind me.

"Ah, s-sorry…" He uttered and sat back. "Fuck, look at me. Here I am, a sobbing mess, and I should be worried about Mikasa. She's probably in a seriously bad place right now." He said with a choked up laugh.

"She's okay, Eren, and she's going to be okay. She's got Armin with her, so she isn't alone." I said and sat down on the bed beside him. I didn't make a move to hold his hand or do anything I could to comfort him, because he probably wouldn't appreciate it at the moment. Or maybe he wouldn't appreciate it from me. Either way, I didn't want to push at the walls he was putting up.

"But still… I'm her brother… I should be taking care of her…"

"You can't take care of people when you're in no better condition." I reprimanded. "Worry about yourself first. When you resemble a fully functioning human being, then you can worry about others. For now, Armin's got this."

"… And you've got me, right?" Eren's voice shook, as if just the fear of being rejected was enough to make him fall apart. However, he couldn't have been further off from the truth. I couldn't help but smile as I touched his hand, glad to see that he wasn't pulling away. In fact, Eren's fingers were quick to link with mine.

"Always…" I whispered. Eren's head fell against my shoulder, his green eyes closing as his breathing slowed down to a healthy speed. "So does this mean you're not mad at me?" I asked while setting my head down on his.

"… I don't know…" His words made my heart fall. "I-I mean… All of these years, I always thought of what I would say if he ever came back… And now he did, and I… I said nothing…"

"You said plenty, Eren. Enough to make him regret everything, and to give him shit and make it hard to sleep at night." A small smile spread his lips thin, and I felt relief wash over me like a giant wave.

"I wish I said more though…" As his smile fell, so did mine. "I never understood… And I never got any answers as to why… Why would he beat his own  _child_?"

"Can I be honest about this?" I asked. Eren lifted his head, enough to nudge mine out of the way so he could look at me.

"Sure…?"

"Even if he gave you answers, I don't think he'd be telling the truth. I don't think he even knows why himself, Eren. I think it wasn't that he didn't want to answer, he just couldn't. He really didn't know why." Eren's eyes slowly looked away. I could see the information I had just given him going through his mind just by looking at his eyes. The way they widened, as if realization had suddenly dawned on him, or the way his pupils narrowed in what could only be described as anger just proved it.

"Tch… And to think that I'm his only kid…" He scoffed while sitting up. I followed, but his hand slipped away from mine, a sure sign that he wasn't very happy right now.

"Eren, you aren't anything like him." I told him, but he wasn't listening.

"Yeah right…" He muttered as he stood up.

"Eren," I asserted and followed after him. "You aren't him."

"Levi, I don't need this right now."

"What, the truth? It's either that or having your ass handed to you. Either way, you aren't going to win."

Well that didn't help me any.

"Shut up, Levi." He growled and tried leaving the room, but I wasn't going to let him.

"Eren," I stood between him and the door, receiving an awful glare from him, but like I said before, I had dealt with worse. "You aren't him at all. You'd never hurt your kids and abandon them."

"And what if I did?" He countered back with.

"Well then I'd kick your ass myself, but I know it wouldn't be necessary. You'd never lay a hand on our kids." My voice was a steady rise all the way up into a shout; I knew that wouldn't help out the situation at all, but I couldn't help it.

"I can never be too sure! God forbid if I ever hurt them, even once! And I wouldn't have to physically hurt them! What my father did to me mentally was just as bad as what he did physically!"

"Eren, you aren't him! Are you listening to me? You are a great father! Just look at the way you love Annie's kid! That brat worships the ground you walk on, and you've never hurt him, so why would you hurt our kids?"

"Because if he was afraid of some innocent child, what could I possibly do? I'm not putting our kids in that position! I won't!"

I was ready to yell some more, to convince him otherwise, but his words and mine were stopping me. Not only was I breathless, but I had realized something that I hadn't realized before.

"… When did we have kids?" I wasn't trying to make a joke either. This entire time we had been talking about "our kids" when "our kids" didn't even exist. We didn't have any, so how did we get to the topic of hurting what we didn't have?

Eren didn't seem to know either. As the words sunk in and the tears started slipping from his eyes again, his smile came back, a chuckle leaving him as he thought about it.

"I-I don't know… I'm sorry I missed it…" I smiled and reached forward to wipe away his tears, happy to see the smile back on his lips and to hear the sound of that beautiful laugh. "Aha… What a shitty anniversary this has turned out to be…"

"It's still early, Eren. Let's forget about that and make the best of what's left of today." I suggested while tugging him over to the bed. I sat down, pulling Eren to sit down beside me so I could hold him close.

I didn't really care if it went that way or not today. I just wanted to hold Eren close, to feel him against my body and feel his heartbeat. So long as I could have that, I was fine.

"I can make the dinner I had been planning beforehand, and then we can sit back, relax, maybe watch a movie or two-"

"Levi," Eren interrupted, his hand finding mine again.

"Hm…?"

"I want to have a baby, Levi…"

There it was. There was that gleam in his eyes, the confidence in his voice. It didn't matter that he was shivering from the fear and anxiety behind the words. What he said was the truth. Just the look in his eyes was enough to prove it, and the emotion in his green eyes was striking that it took my breath away.

My Eren was still alive.

"I-I don't want to be like him, and I'm tired of being afraid of what I would do. I'm so sick of the "what ifs" that pop into my head when I know I should think of all of the great things that could come from this. I want to be a dad, a-and I want a little girl. I want to be able to take her to school, and to tell her boys are disgusting and protect her from all of the bad things in this world…" Eren stopped to catch his breath, wiping away the tears that were forming in his eyes. These tears weren't from the sadness though. I think he was actually happy thinking this way, so happy that it made him cry.

"I…  _I…_ " He sniffled, and I pulled at his hand to hold it.

"… You want a little girl too?" I asked. I could feel the blush on my cheeks along with the goofy smile that spread them, but I really didn't care.

"Yeah," Eren said and laughed. "I really want a girl."

"We can start working on that now." I said and pushed Eren onto his back. I moved to sit on him, my hips resting against his with my thighs bracketing his hips, and Eren was a mess of stuttering and blushing.

"W-Wait, Levi! That's not how it really works!" He suddenly yipped in embarrassment and moved around from under me.

"I know," I sighed and leaned down so our faces could be close together. "Eren…" I mumbled and traced the prominent line of his jaw. Eren's eyes, already wide from lord knows what, looked deep into mine, as if he were reading my every thought, my every intent. It was all mushy and sappy shit, yeah, but that's what it felt like. "Tonight... Whatever you want to do, we can do that…"

Eren's hands came up to settle on my waist, one hand unconsciously squirming its way under my jacket. Eren wore his emotions easily, so it was very obvious that he hadn't intended anything by it.

"We don't really have to do it either, I just… Tonight, I just want to stay by you… And I know I suck at sappy shit, but I want to just sit here and look at you."

Maybe I was trying to understand something. Maybe I was just trying to confirm something that I was questioning without even realizing it, but I just wanted to be with him. I wanted him against me, touching me, holding me, and I didn't want him to let go anytime soon.

Maybe I had suddenly grown dependent on him, but I didn't really care.

"I just want you… That's all…" My eyes fell to his lips, my body suddenly aching for their touch.

"Let's see where tonight takes us then…" I watched the way his lips moved with each syllable, and the only reason I looked away was so I could close my eyes and except a kiss.

It was slow, long, passionate, loving, and everything I wanted. His hands grew heavy on my back, the one under my shirt moving to hold my shoulder while the other fell to sit on my hip, but the motions were slow and lazy. He was taking his time, and that's all I wanted right now.

"Eren…" I sighed as his lips slowly made their way to that one spot under my ear.

Yeah, this was all I needed.

* * *

(3 Years Later)

* * *

Out of all of the times I had been woken up, this… Was definitely  _not_  one of the best times…

"Daddy! Daddy!" Getting my stomach stomped on wasn't very nice either.

"I'm up, I'm up…" I mumbled and curled my face into my pillow. The stomping didn't recede, and I felt the incessant pulling at my hair from tiny hands.

"Come on, daddy! Get up!"

"Alright, alright…" I grumbled before fully rolling onto my back. I rubbed at the disgusting crust in my eyes before looking up, finding big, brown eyes directly in my face. "Good morning, sweetheart." I mumbled.

"Morning daddy…" She said and smiled as she dropped her head onto my chest. I wrapped my arms around her tiny body, pushing away some blond hair from her face to poke her cheek.

"Hey," I muttered. "How did you get out of your crib?" I asked.

"I climbed out." She said while pulling her bangs back into her face.

"You climbed out? How?" I slowly sat up, bringing her up with me.

"I-I just climbed out." She said while looking up at me. Her big eyes stared up at me with that innocence she'd always had, and I felt my heart give a painful lurch.

That was so not fair.

"Honestly, just behave yourself, Isabel." I said before looking over at Eren. He was still sound asleep beside us, like he normally was. That man could sleep through an earthquake.

"Okay, daddy." Isabel said while sticking her thumb into her mouth.

"Oi, Eren," I said and shoved at Eren's side. My husband groaned in his sleep before rolling over some. "Eren, wake up."

"I-I'm up, I'm up…" He mumbled before rolling his way off of the bed. He hit the ground with a heavy thud, which did well to get Isabel into a fit of laughter. "I'm up! What? Huh?" Eren sat up from the floor, fully awake and wide eyed with confusion.

"Morning daddy," Isabel said and climbed over to where he fell off of the bed.

"Oh, good morning, baby." He said and climbed back onto the bed. He pulled Isabel into his lap before running his fingers through her hair to clear the rat's nest her hair was right now.

"We've got a jail break, Eren." I said and sat back on the bed.

"Huh…?"

"Isabel climbed out of her crib." I explained.

"What…?" Eren sat back to look at Isabel. "You climbed out of your crib all by yourself?" In response, Isabel nodded her head with a small hum.

"We've got a big girl on our hands, Eren." I sighed as I lay back down on my pillows, stretching my arms over my head to wake up my muscles.

"You know what this means, don't you, Isabel?" Eren asked with excitement as he pulled her to stand on her chubby little legs.

"What...?" Isabel asked, matching his excitement.

"We can buy you a big girl bed now!"

"Really?" Isabel started running in place, getting nowhere with Eren's hands still holding onto her.

"Yeah, we can get you a really nice bed."

"No more crib?"

"No more crib," He assured. Isabel cheered with excitement before jumping into his lap and hugging him.

"We can go now? Let's go get my big girl bed!" Isabel cheered and tried climbing out of bed. Eren laughed before pulling her back in and holding her still.

"Hold on, honey. We need to get dressed and eat breakfast, and you have a doctor's appointment today." At the news, Isabel whined, her pouting absolutely adorable. "Don't worry, after all of that, we'll go get you a bed."

"We could always go after we eat breakfast. While she's at the doctor's appointment, one of us can wait here until they deliver the bed." I suggested.

"Can we do that? Please! I want my big girl bed, daddy!" Isabel whined while tugging on Eren's hair.

"Yeah, I don't see why not. Does that work for you, Levi?" He asked me with a sweet smile in my direction. I smiled back, pretending like I couldn't feel the blush on my cheeks.

"Works fine with me. I'll take her to the doctor while you wait here for the bed." I said. Isabel began her cheering again before jumping off of the bed.

"Let's go get breakfast! I wanna go!"

"Slow down, Isabel. Let's give ourselves an hour just to wake up." Eren said with a laugh. He was fully prepared to get up and follow her, but after barely raising the blankets off of his legs, his cheeks flushed a dark red color and he covered himself again. "I-Isabel, why don't you go pick out the clothes you want to wear, and we'll be there in a few minutes to help you get dressed." Eren suggested embarrassingly.

"Okay daddy!" She chirped before running out of the room on her tiny, little legs. As soon as we heard her enter her room, Eren fell over with a mixture of an exasperated sigh and a lighthearted laugh leaving his lips. I rolled over onto my side, leaning my head against my palm as I watched him stretch his muscles.

"Forgot you were naked, didn't you?" It was more of a comment than a question, but seeing Eren's face light up was enough of an answer.

"It's your fault. I'm surprised we didn't wake up half of China last night." Eren scoffed before rolling onto his side and scooting into my chest.

"You were the one begging for it, not me." I retorted and wrapped my arms around him. I felt the lightest of pinches against my side, but it was nothing compared to the way his breath felt against my chest, or the way his hands skimmed along the small of my back.

"Mhm…" Eren sighed before lifting his head a little to meet my gaze. "I love mornings like this."

"Why is that?"

"They're just nice. I guess I'm a little jealous of Isabel. She gets to do the things with her parents that I never got to do." Eren's smile seemed slightly forced, but I knew he was genuinely happy. He was glad that our daughter had something better than what he had, and I was sure he was happy about how our lives were turning out.

"Just think, Eren, we're some pretty cool parents." I said while kissing the top of his head.

"Yeah… Ah, and she's getting so big. We're buying her a bed today, Levi, a big girl bed. No more crib and no more safety railing…"

"Mhm…" I mused while moving my lips to his cheek.

"Aww, she's growing up so fast. I want another one, Levi."

That stopped me.

"Another one? We're just getting her out of diapers. How could you want another one?" I asked with a laugh. I wasn't totally opposed to the idea, just shocked that he openly suggested it.

"I don't know. I just do. Maybe we can have a little boy next."

"I thought you wanted to keep her away from boys." I questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Boys that I didn't raise, yes. My son would never abuse any girl." Eren proclaimed while sitting up to look down at me.

"When did we have a son?" I asked, but it was quickly ignored. Eren leaned down and kissed me, long, slow, and passionate. One hand sat on my waist while the other was holding my cheek, his elbow holding him up. I wrapped my arms around his shoulder and pulled him closer until his chest was on mine, his skin warm and inviting.

It was so damn tempting. Besides last night, we had been so busy with Isabel that we hadn't had the chance to be by ourselves in  _at least_  two months. Was last night worth all of those nights when nothing happened? Hell yes it was. Would I blame Isabel for not getting time with him? Of course not. It just meant that we'd have to be crafty or wait, and when we waited so long, we truly went all out.

It was so damn tempting indeed, but Isabel's voice was suddenly calling us from her room, saying that she had her outfit picked out. Eren groaned before rolling over, sitting up and off of the bed. He had an extra sheet covering him in case Isabel came in, because, much like my great grandmother, she knew nothing about personal boundaries. I kept my blanket covering me as I looked over the edge of the bed for my clothes, but knowing Eren, he tossed them somewhere to never be found again.

"Brat, get my underwear for me." I said with a grumbled. I heard Eren chuckle from where he was at the dresser before a pair of my undergarments covered my vision. I clicked my tongue and pulled them off, finding Eren tugging on the last of his clothing. He pulled a white t-shirt over his head just as Isabel walked in, the child in only her undergarments now while looking for both of us.

This girl also knew no patience.

"Daddy, let's go!" She cried in exasperation.

"We can't go anywhere until you have clothes on and food in your stomach." Eren said and picked her up. He showered her cheeks and neck with kisses, tickling her senseless and making her squeal with delight. I smiled, my eyes watching the exchange with interest. The glint in Eren's eyes as he looked over his daughter was so heartwarming.

"Aww," Isabel whined and dropped her head on her dad's chest while sucking her thumb. She put on the biggest puppy dog face she could perform (and she didn't learn that from me), and Eren's knees went weak at the sight of it.

" _Aww,_  Levi!"

"Breakfast first." I said, not giving an inch. I wasn't going to let her be spoiled…  _Much._

"Okay," Isabel sighed and wiggled her way out of Eren's arms. She waddled her way out of the room, and we watched her disappear into hallway.

"She learned that from you." I stated while looking up at Eren.

"Psh,  _no._  She gets the big eyes from you." He retorted and fixed his shirt to sit right on his body. I saw a sliver of slim, toned hips and waist, and I felt a wonderful shiver flutter through me.

"Hey, Eren," I called out. Eren hummed in response while looking at me, to which I motioned to him to move forward. Eren sighed with a smile before coming back over to the bed and standing beside it.

"What…?" He obviously caught on to what I was thinking. I sat up from the bed, blankets totally forgotten about as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pulled him in for a kiss. His arms wrapped around my waist, his hands and nails skimming my back and giving me goose bumps while his tongue licked at my lips when we parted.

Damn, he was getting good at this.

"Are you trying to start something, Levi?" He asked with a smirk on his lips.

"Say, how quick do you think we can get Isabel to sleep tonight?" I asked while rubbing my cheek into his collar bone.

"Tonight? Oh please!" He scoffed. "With her new bed, we aren't going to be able to get her to sleep for the next three weeks."

"Why don't we try warm milk and a bedtime story?"

"I don't know if that would work," He sounded skeptical.

"At least we're trying." I sat back and covered myself up so Isabel wouldn't see me if she walked in.

Did I mention she didn't respect privacy?

Eren rolled his eyes one more time before leaving the room to see what kind of destruction Isabel was doing downstairs. Knowing her and her impatience (another thing she didn't get from me), she was probably trying to get her breakfast on her own.

And by the sudden crash of something that sounded like cereal hitting the floor that was probably it.

"Oh Isabel!"

Yep.

I got out of bed and stretched my arms over my head, waking up the muscles that were sore and stiff from last night. After that, I somehow managed to find my clothes near the hamper, but I ignored those ones and went for some clean ones instead. I got on a pair of comfortable jeans, nothing too fancy or lazy, and a white button up shirt. I wasn't trying to impress; however, I left the first three buttons undone just to torture Eren.

I was going make something happen tonight for sure. There was just the matter of getting Isabel to bed.

I looked in the mirror once to make sure I looked somewhat decent before leaving our room and making my way downstairs to the kitchen. I only made it halfway there before I heard Eren scolding Isabel for the mess she made, and when getting to the archway, I saw the cereal spilled all over the lower counters and floor.

"Isabel, you can't try getting things that you can't reach by yourself. Not only does it make a mess, but you could get hurt." Currently, Eren had Isabel sitting on the counter, cereal ignored in favor of being able to look her in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, daddy…" Isabel said with a frown while her brown eyes looked to her lap. Eren sighed before patting her head, trying to get her to cheer up.

"It's okay. Next time though, when you need help, you need to ask me or daddy, okay? We don't want you getting hurt." Isabel slowly nodded her head, her eyes lifting up in an adorable pout. Her tiny hands grabbed at some of the small flakes from the mess of the cereal before lifting them up and pushing them against Eren's lips. He smiled under her fingers before opening his mouth and chomping down around her hand, getting her to squeal. He only added to it when he blew bubbles onto her neck, getting her to laugh out loud.

I smiled, leaning my head against the archway and crossing my arms over my chest.

Honestly, what was he ever worried about? Contrary to what he used to think, Eren was an incredible father, more so than either I or he thought he could ever be. Since the day we adopted Isabel, Eren hadn't let his little girl out of his sight. There were nights where I knew he would leave the bed to go watch her in her crib while she slept, or maybe he'd hold her for a while. I think every now and again, he'd check just to make sure she was breathing, and that she wasn't smothering her face into the mattress, even when I said she wasn't. Whenever she cried, he was right there, ready and waiting to hold her and promise that everything would be okay.

Maybe he was trying to compensate for what he never got. Maybe he was trying to be the father he always wanted. Maybe he just didn't want to be  _him._  It didn't matter.

Isabel was truly a daddy's little girl. Eren would make sure that it was forever engraved into her head that she was a truly loved daughter, and no matter what happened between the two, he'd always love her. I sometimes wondered how that would play out when she became a teenager, because I knew how a teenage girl could get when she didn't want to be smothered, but maybe Isabel was different. Maybe she would just want to be with her dad, and that wasn't such a bad thing.

Oh well. I guess I would just have to wait and see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we leave to wipe our tears away, I'd like to point out one thing. No, this is not an Mpreg. Eren wasn't pregnant, Levi wasn't pregnant, Isabel was adopted as a baby. This is why she doesn't look like either of them, but being raised by them, she acts like them... Well, Eren anyway. XD  
> I never bothered to mention how much it means to me to see people sticking through this story. Thank you guys so much for reading this story all the way until the end, I really mean it! I have two more stories, "Lost Cause," and "The Change You Wish to See," So please help me out by reading those as well!  
> Thank you all from the bottom of my heart! *sobs tears of joy*


	30. A Present

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A present as a thank you for all of the wonderful followers and reviewers to this fanfiction. I'm still trying to find the time to make the thank you video, but until then, I hope you enjoy. ^^ I appreciate everything you guys have done for this story, so thank you 100 times over!

**A Forged Wedding**

**(Present for my wonderful followers and beta reader. :))**

* * *

"Daddy...?"

My eyes opened, blurry and tired from sleeping in such an uncomfortable position. My neck ached, my back was sore, and my legs had fallen asleep from sleeping in such an odd position for so long.

Although, I couldn't be sure how long it really was.

I glanced around, wincing to the lamp shining a bright, smoldering light in my face and looking for the clock. The closest one was on the wall by the bookshelf, but hell, like I could see that?

"Mhf..." I grumbled. Ah, screw it. It was late. It could wait just a little longer.

"Daddy...?"

Or maybe not.

I looked down to the floor, spotting a petite girl with long, blond hair, and big, brown eyes staring up at me so innocently. I smiled, reaching down to pet that ruffled up blond hair and make her grin a toothy grin. Toothy, because she was missing her two front teeth and one bottom tooth.

"Hi Isabel," I said and reached down to pick her up. "What are you doing up so late?"

"There's monsters under my bed." She said with a frown and hugged her stuffed koala closer to her chest.

"A monster...?" I gaped in false surprise. "You don't say."

"I do! He was loud and kept kicking my bed!" Isabel told me and jumped about in my lap.

"Well we'll have to make him stop, won't we?" I asked and stood up. I groaned while having to adjust my grip on her, trying to find a better way to hold her. However, it wasn't easy. She was going through a serious growth spurt at the moment.

"I want him to go away!" My daughter whined. I smiled and kissed her forehead as we walked out of the office and into the hallway. How she managed to find her way down from her room and to the office downstairs while it was pitch black was beyond me.

"Okay, sweetie, okay. Why didn't you go ask daddy about this though? Where's Levi?" I asked.

"He's sleeping in the crib with Farlan." Isabel told me and dropped her head down on my shoulder. After hearing that, I physically stopped in place and looked down at her.

"Do you mean he's sleeping  _by_  Farlan's crib?" I asked.

"No," She said and shook her head. "He's sleeping in Farlan's crib."

"... Okay, honey. Why don't you go to your room and tell that mean monster I'm coming? If he doesn't leave, he's going to get a pillow in his face. Can you do that?" I lowered Isabel to the floor, just to watch her waddle for a moment before she nodded her head.

"I can be brave." She quietly agreed, but with the way she waddled off, her toy clutched to her chest, her thumb in her mouth, and her bangs in her face, I felt like that wasn't such an easy thing.

"I'll be right there, okay? If you need me, I'll be checking on Farlan, okay?"

"Okay..." I followed Isabel up the stairs, but we had to part at the respectable doorways. I watched her though as she walked to her room and disappeared behind her door, a chuckle leaving me before I went into Farlan's room.

It was dark, and I didn't dare turn on the light. Our poor son hadn't been sleeping well at all, and if he really was asleep, I didn't want to wake him up.

"... Levi...?" I questioned in a whisper, but it was a while before I got a response.

"Eren...?" I heard, even quieter than what I spoke. I tip toed over to the crib and looked in, and sure enough, inside was a sleeping Farlan on an equally tired Levi in the crib.

Oh, where was my camera?

"Having fun?" I asked while looking down. Levi was hunched over in the crib, his head resting non-too-gently against the wooden bars and his legs sticking out of the railing. His arms and hands were holding himself up, probably to keep himself in the most comfortable position as physically possible. "Oh God..."

"Laugh, and I will murder you..." He growled.

"Can you uhm... Can you explain...  _This_?" I snickered and motioned to his position.

"Farlan was a crying mess, so I jumped in to see if that would help him fall asleep." He explained and tried shifting, but it forced our son into wiggling about. What only made him stop was when he was comfortable resting with his head on Levi's chest. "He crawled on top of me, fell asleep on me, and now I can't fucking move."

"Okay... Good night then, Levi." I said and moved to leave.

"Eren, I swear to God-!"

"I'm just joking, Levi." I laughed as quietly as I could before reaching in to pick Farlan up. "Hold still for me."

"Haha, very funny. It's not like I could go anywhere." Even in the dark, I could see Levi roll his eyes at me. I hoisted our eighteen month old up as carefully as I could, stopping every time he shifted in my hands. He was only up enough though for Levi to slip through, and when he could fully sit up again, I lowered Farlan back down.

My poor boy. He must have been so tired from three sleepless nights that a train couldn't wake him up.

"Ah, my hero." Levi joked.

"Yep. Okay, next...?" I offered and held out my arms. Levi rolled his eyes again before jumping out into my arms, his legs wrapping around my hips and hands holding onto my shoulders.

"Thank you, good sir." He said.

"Do I get a reward for helping you?" I asked with a smirk.

"Yeah, when the kids are sleeping over at Armin's and Mikasa's." Levi replied. I scoffed.

"Right, in ten years, ya know, when the twins are grown enough to cook popcorn without catching the house on fire." I nudged my head into Levi's collar bone and sighed, his scent a mixture of himself and Farlan's smell, a baby's smell.

"Speaking of kids, where were you when Farlan was crying?" Levi asked and motioned for me to drop him. I didn't.

"I'm sorry. I fell asleep in the office." I apologized and kissed the side of his Adam's apple.

"Again...? Eren, you need to stop working so hard on this case. You're going to make yourself sick. There have been reported cases of working to death." He reminded me. I chuckled as I lowered Levi, but quietly. I wasn't entirely sure why though. It was a surprise already that Farlan hadn't woken up yet from our talking.

"I'm aware," I rolled my neck around, feeling the kink already forming. This was going to hurt tomorrow.

"I think we all need a vacation." He suggested as he pulled me from Farlan's room. I hummed, but the idea didn't settle in my mind. I was too focused on the case to even think of anything other than work, and obviously he noticed that. We stopped short of Isabel's room, my chest bumping into him (I hadn't been paying attention  _at all_ ). Levi took up my hands and pulled them to his chest. It caught my attention, and I was fully focused on him by the time he pressed a kiss to the ring on my finger.

"Eren..." He sighed.

"Hmm...?"

"How are you supposed to take care of your kids if you can't even take care of yourself properly?" He asked, a serious reminder towards myself and my actions.

It was a very good point, and I was mentally cursing at myself for giving him the argument. I hadn't been doing a good job at taking care of myself, and even Isabel, my silly, little six year old was trying to help take care of me. It wasn't a surprise that, while I was in the office, she'd sometimes bring me a peanut butter and chocolate syrup sandwich. Yes, you read that right; a peanut butter and  _chocolate syrup_  sandwich. She said the chocolate would give me energy (and make any six year old fly across the house), and I forced the food down my throat.

What...? Why let down a kid?

The point was that my kid was trying to tell me that I wasn't doing a very good job of taking care of myself. The fact that a toddler was telling me that must have said something.

"Yeah, I know..." I sighed and sat my head on top of his. Levi didn't appreciate the action, but it wasn't like he'd go against it.

"Isabel was talking about making you lunch tomorrow. She wants to make sure you eat." He reminded me.

"Did she mention what?" I asked and looked at him.

"She said one of her orange juice pouches, a sandwich, and pasta... She also wanted to put a dog treat in there. You know, in case you forget to brush your teeth in the morning."

"Because you'd let me leave the house like that," I joked, and was rewarded with a small punch to the gut. It didn't hurt at all, but the air did leave my lungs some.

"Daddy...?" Isabel's voice was tiny and quiet behind us, but we still heard her over our small banter. She stood by in her doorway, her baby blanket tucked under her arms and little fingers gripping it tightly. Her big, brown eyes stared up at us in worry, her bottom lip sticking out in a pout and just begging us for help.

"What are you doing up, Isabel?" Levi asked and picked her up.

"Isabel says there's a monster in her room." I told him.

"Under my bed!" She corrected.

"Honey, are you sure it's not just Commander?" Levi asked while pulling at a tangle in her long, blond hair. To that, Isabel had no answer. She just sighed and dropped her head against Levi's chest, no response given with a thumb tucked in between her baby teeth.

"Let's go find the demon then." I said and walked into her room.

Sure enough, there were enough sounds coming from under her bed to scare anyone, even me. Of course I knew what it really was, but who wouldn't that scare?

"It's under there..." Isabel mumbled and hid her face in Levi's sweater.

"What is he doing under there?" Levi asked, just proving that he knew the source of the noises.

I laughed as I bent down to eye level with the floor and lifted the sheets. I looked about, only for a doll to come flying at me. That didn't scare me; oh no, of course not, but if you saw a doll with half of a head missing, two legs and an arm come flying at you from the dark, you'd yip too.

"Commander," I reprimanded and reached under the bed. There was a growl, but soon enough the puppy I had a good hold on whined as I dragged him out from under the bed and into the light of her room.

"Oh, look at that, Isabel." Levi said and motioned for her to look. I stood with the pup in my arm, the dog hanging around like he wasn't guilty, but the other half of the doll head hanging from its head from his teeth proved otherwise.

"Commander!" Isabel whined, the loss of her doll less impacting than the fact it had been him that had scared her.

"All right, listen here, pup." I said and turned Commander around in my hands. The doll head hung between his teeth by its hair, but he flashed those big, puppy eyes and I nearly forgot my resolve. "There shall be no scaring on school nights. Isabel needs to go to sleep so she can go to school tomorrow, and if you don't behave, you'll have to go into time out."

"It's a damn dog, Eren." Levi said, and when Isabel gasped, he instantly regretted it. "I mean darn."

"You said damn!" She repeated and pointed a finger at him.

"Isabel." Levi reprimanded.

I was trying my hardest not to break out laughing. The doll head fell from Commander's puppy teeth, followed by a loud yip (he had yet to reach a proper bark).

"You said a bad word, daddy." Isabel told him with a terribly adorable pout.

"I know, and I'm sorry." He apologized.

"You have to put seventy-five cents in the swear jar!" She reminded him. Levi turned his head, and though Isabel couldn't see it, I could see him mouthing cuss words a mile a minute. Words I could make out like "mother fucker" and "ass wipe" were thrown into the mix.

I couldn't imagine how hard this was for someone like him. Long before Isabel came into our lives, if Levi didn't cuss someone out, it meant he was sick or overworked. Sometimes I swore it made him sick not to cuss now.

"Alright, now that we found out what the bad monster is under the bed, it's time for you to go to sleep." I spoke up to Isabel.

"Can Commander sleep with me?" She asked with big, brown eyes and an outward bottom lip.

"Isabel, you know he's not allowed on your bed." Levi told her, but that cute, pouty face was then directly towards him.

"Please daddy...?" She asked and clasped her hands together. Her little bottom lip stuck out and her eyes widened, and I could see Levi losing the war within his mind very fast. It was a quick battle, but a bloody, messy one.

"Fine, but if he pees anywhere in here, you need to clean up his mess." Levi instructed. Isabel cheered, and as if following her excitement, Commander followed with a yip. Levi set her down in her bed and covered her with her comforter, and once done, I set Commander down beside her. The little husky looked over the edge of the bed like he was standing on the edge of a cliff, but Isabel pulled him back to lay beside her before he could try hopping down to his death.

"Do you think Commander will keep you safe now?" I asked while sitting on the edge of the bed.

"He'll keep me safe," She assured while the dog squirmed within her arms. It was a fruitless battle, and we all knew it.

"Alright. Sleep well, sweetie." I said and placed a kiss on her head. The moment her bangs brushed my lips, I was reminded that she needed a haircut, and soon. She was just one of those kids who didn't like having her hair touched, besides Levi. She let him brush her hair, because apparently I was too rough when I did so.

"Nighty night, brat." Levi said and tucked her in.

"Don't forget the seventy-five cents, daddy." Our daughter told him. Levi groaned and kissed her head.

"I'll be broke..." He mumbled as he stood up straight.

"It can go to her college fund." I told him while I followed.

"If we make this her college fund, she'll be set for life." He reminded me, but I laughed it off.

"Good night, Commander." I whispered into the room, but the puppy was already out cold within Isabel's arms by the time I closed her bedroom door shut.

"Jesus..." Levi breathed out a sigh of relief the moment the door clicked shut. I had to suppress a laugh, fearing I'd wake up either of the kids if I got too loud.

"I'm sorry I took so long." I told him. Levi rolled his eyes as his fingers began kneading into the muscles at the nape of his neck. I didn't doubt that sitting the way he had been in the crib caused a kink, though I guess it depends on how long he was in there. "Need help with that?"

"You owe me," He grumbled. I laughed quietly again as I moved to hold his shoulders in my hands. I pushed him forward, edging him to walk back to our room so we wouldn't wake up the kids while standing around.

"I do. I owe you a vacation, a back rub, and maybe a quickie." I told him, my fingers working into his shoulders.

"You know, I thought I knew what a quickie was a long time ago, but I never knew the definition of it until we had Isabel." He said to me. Once our bedroom door was closed, I could laugh at the idea.

It was true though. No one other than parents knew the definition of a quickie.

"I can't disagree with you there." I said and pushed him to lay on our bed. He had no complaints with this and gladly took up the space, his arms splayed out to take up most of the bed. I didn't mind though, opting to crawl over him until my legs were on either side of his hips and I could sit on him without causing him pain. "This okay...?" I asked.

"Mhm..." He hummed and pulled his arms together to create a makeshift pillow for himself. I pushed my fingers lightly into his shoulders, warming up the muscles so I wouldn't cause damage. While I did that, my husband let out quiet, little sighs and tired moans. Every now and again his eyebrows would twitch, an indicator that I was pushing too hard or pushing into a spot where there was a knot. It all depended on the sound he would make.

"Eren..." His whispered and looked up at me with dark eyes.

"Yes...?" I asked, my hands pausing in their actions.

"You keep doing that and I'll give you the best head of your life." He said. I had to hold back on the laugh this time. If not, I would surely wake Isabel and Farlan up, regardless of being tucked away in our room.

"I love you," I said with a snicker. Levi freed a hand of his and motioned towards me, which I followed. When I was within reach, he reached up to tangle his fingers in my hair and pull down. It wasn't a hard pull, but it was enough to pull me in for a kiss, a kiss I greatly appreciated.

"I love you too..." He mumbled against my lips, his eyes drifting closed. I smiled as I pulled back, looking at his peaceful face. Eyes lightly closed, lips parted to let out breath, skin pale and shinning in the dim light of our bedside table lamp; it was just one of those rare moments where I could see him totally relaxed.

"Hey," I said softly. Levi's eyes opened quickly, as if he were fighting off all of the sleep weighing down his eyelids. "How about I call off work for tomorrow. I'll just say there's a house full of sick kids and I'm one of them."

"Okay..." He let out as I laid down beside him.

"That way you can sleep in, relax a little... Fall asleep on me while I'm talking to you." I pointed out, but I wasn't annoyed. If anything, it was endearing.

"I'm not falling asleep..." He argued, but he could barely keep his eyes open. I chuckled lightly while brushing his bangs from his face and tucking them behind his ear. Isabel wasn't the only one who needed a haircut.

"Sure, Levi, sure. Go to sleep. I'll take care of everything tomorrow." I assured while pushing into a spot behind his ear that I knew he liked. A soft sound left his lips, content and fully relaxed as he shifted to a more comfortable position. He only had enough energy left to sit up long enough for me to cover him with the comforter before his head hit the pillow in a mummy-like sleep.

I crawled in beside him, but at this point, a train couldn't wake him up (just like his son). I pulled him into my arms and tucked the blankets around us, making sure he and I were both inexplicably comfortable before letting myself relax. Levi's head lay against my inner arm, his face pressed lightly into my shoulder. His arms were pulled up to his chest in the cutest of manners that one beyond me never got to see, and his legs were tangled with mine. At this point, I couldn't tell whose leg was where and when and how anymore.

I looked down, but I couldn't see his face in this position. All I could do was press a kiss to the top of his head and rub at his shoulders. I wouldn't doubt it at a time like this if Levi was in a coma. He was so tired and weak that his body was just like a dead weight that wouldn't react to anything. I assumed it was a good thing, but one could never be too sure.

"Maybe I'll take a week off in a few weeks..." I whispered against his head, my eyes drifting closed. I knew he wasn't listening, and if by some chance he was, not all of it was fully processing. "We could all take a week off and maybe go to the beach... Hm, that sounds nice actually. Summer is coming. We could all go to the beach for a week for vacation."

Levi shifted beside me, but it didn't deter my mental plan.

"We'll get a nice hotel room, maybe even invite others. I think Mikasa, Armin and their kids would love to join. Their boys love the ocean, just like he does... We'll just make a fun week out of it." I quietly agreed to myself.

I'd keep it a secret for now. I definitely wasn't going to tell the children, but maybe I'd hide it from everyone else. Maybe I could surprise Levi with it. I could get Erwin to give us time off and just shock Levi with a sudden trip to the beach for a week.

Damn. That actually sounded great. Summer was just around the corner; it was just enough time to give our work a heads up and let the kids finish school work. If Isabel thought her summer vacation was going to be great before, I shouldn't have her be too excited. She'll never sit down for five minutes in class if I did.

This would be Farlan's first time at a beach too now that I thought about it. I'd have to bring a video camera to get video, and then get lots of pictures.

"... Sounds good." Levi's voice was so quiet and tired, but still came as a surprise. I knew he wasn't awake, far from it in fact. He was still trying to stay awake, however, trying to focus on the conversation and trying to come up with answers. The answers just delayed though. How much of it he heard, I wasn't sure, but I was sure that he wasn't going to remember a lick of it in the morning time.

I smiled and kissed his head again, his hair tickling my nose. The only response I got was a sigh that brushed against the exposed part of my neck.

"I love you, Levi..." I whispered and moved lower to press my lips to his ear. "I love you, Isabel and Farlan, and this life we have. I love everything about it and I couldn't ask for anything better. I wouldn't even try. You guys mean the world to me, and I'll protect you with everything I have. I'll never leave you..." I promised him.

I felt the grip on my shirt tighten considerably, and for a moment I wondered if Levi was actually awake or not. If he was, then good. If not, then he could carry those words off to a dream far away and sleep peacefully knowing that I was there.

"I'll protect you... And I won't ever leave..."

As sleep took over the last of my senses, I knew I could rest well with that promise deeply embedded into my head, and I could only hope that Levi would too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> People requested this idea a lot, wanting to know about Mikasa and Armin, and then if Levi and Eren decided to have a boy next. Eventually the idea began to form. I hope you enjoyed it. ^_^
> 
> Please continue to be awesome people!


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